THIS BARFI IS YUMMY TO THE LAST MORSEL

Bareilly Ki Barfi

STARRING: Ayushmann Khurana, Rajkummar Rao, Kriti Sanon

DIRECTOR: Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari

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Early in the plot, we are told that the film’s heroine Bitti is no Sati Savitri. In fact she adheres to another kind of stereotyping that Hindi cinema has lately embraced. You know, the smalltown girl who is hip and happy, sassy and sexy, rides two-wheelers and smokes, and when a prospective groom asks her if she is a virgin, Bitti retorts, “No, I am not. Are you?”

What Bitti thinks to be streaks of rebellion (breakdancing, watching ‘angrezi’ films, etc) is nothing but a sign of decadent feminism.

And director Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari knows it. She lets Bittu fly free. Even if it’s just a flight of limited coverage, it is still worth that soar towards the sky.

Before Bareilly Ki Barfi ends, Bittu, played with endearing vivacity by Kriti Sanon, must choose her life partner. It’s a toss-up between Chirag, the nakedly selfish foxy suitor who can’t bring himself to say those three magical words to Bittu, and Pritam Vidrohi, the timid kind compassionate loser who sells sarees to bored housewives and lives his life on the crushed dreams of his existence like a daredevil walking on glass.

That Chirag and Pritam are played by Ayushmann Khurrana and Rajkummar Rao is an exceptionally happy circumstance for the film.

Tiwari, who earlier directed that endearing film on female literacy Nil Battey Sannata carves a charming tale of a fey self-declared wild child and her two suitors. It is a film strewn with splendid moments framed in vistas of unrehearsed bustle by cinematographer Gavemic U Ary who shoots the characters, major or minor, with equipoise and empathy.

The writing and the dialogues sparkle with warmth and sunshine. Though the narrative pace slackens considerably after a point, we never lose interest in this oft-told tale that acquires vigour through the terrific dialogues and performances.

While Rajkumar Rao’s doubleidentity heroics bring the house down, Ayushmann has the tougher role as he emerges a slimy opportunist most of the time until he undergoes an abrupt and unconvincing change of heart. Kriti is spunky and in-character even in the scenes where she is not the centre of attraction. And Pankaj Tiwary and Seema Pahwa are absolutely delightful as her parents.

Yes, there are potholes in the

But luck evades him and he lands up owing a bookie Rs 1 crore. Desperate to ease his financial woes, he hits upon a plan to kidnap his sister Preet, fully aware that his father will cough up the ransom amount.

But predictably, his plan goes awry and the chain of events only get murkier.

Due to the plot that has onedimensional characters, and a substandard screenplay, the narrative seems forced to ensure mystery and drama. But the real fascination in the film lies in the under-stated performances of its cast who speak in a fluent Haryanvi accent.

On the technical front, even with moderate production values, the film is astutely crafted. The violence though deadly is not so graphic or stylized as to be voyeuristic, but the climax is definitely shocking.

While the sound effects and music by Naren Chandavarkar and Benedict Taylor are used to great effect to pump up the mood that accompany the stylishly designed frames captured by Vivek Shah’s lensing, jerky edits mar the viewing experience.

The last number that accompanies the end-credits is soulful and worth the wait for the credits to wind up.

Troy Ribeiro