GOOD PERFORMANCES IN LIGHT-HEARTED ENTERTAINER

Luka Chuppi

STARRING: Kartik Aaryan, Kriti Sanon, Vinay Pathak, Pankaj Tripathi, Aparshakti Khurana

DIRECTOR: Laxman Utekar

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Set in Mathura, Director Laxman Utekar's Luka Chuppi is a straightlaced, frothy rom-com that panders to the concept of a "live-inrelationship". You never know where the heart is going to lead, and often, it is to the most inappropriate places. This is what happens when Guddu Shukla (Kartik) the anchor of a local cable channel, professes his love to Rashmi (Kriti), the daughter of a local politician Trivediji (Vinay), who is not commitment-phobic but a cautious young lady of today's generation. She unabashedly tells him that she would want to try a "live-in-relationship" to test their compatibility, before committing to get married.

Left with no choice and on the suggestion of their mutual friend, Abbas (Aparshakti), the two go to Gwalior and start "living together" claiming to be married.

How their relationship unspools to their respective families, forms the crux of the tale.

The writing by Rohan Shankar, rarely misses the rom-com beat despite its predictable and meandering plot that drags. It is not a wickedly humorous narrative, but yes the film has its moments of fun and thrill, with situational and slapstick comedy.

The dialogues are colloquial, witty

Goopy Gyne Bagha Byne

GENRE: Animation

DIRECTOR: Shilpa Ranade

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A bright, bouncy, cheerful, effervescent tribute to Satyajit Ray's 1969 children's classic Goopy Gyne Bagha Byne is a step forward for animation films, a genre still in its infancy in Indian cinema, groping around in the dark trying to find a competitive ground with the likes of Frozen, Moana, Lego and Inside Out in Hollywood.

Animation is big business in the West. In Indian cinema it hasn't even started to make an impact given the bleak and bland scenario and the fact that it must compete with feature films like Luka Chuppi and Sonchiriya this week.

Goopi Gawaiya Bagha Bajaiya does well for itself, at least as far as telling an engaging story in a credible colourful animation format goes.

For those who came in late (and please don't do that, this is just a brief film barely more than an hour long), this is the story of two bumbling, goofy but endearing musicians and their escapades in an imaginary kingdom of fools.

The plot, based on Upendrakishore Ray Chowdhury's classic story, is zany to the utmost.

The animation characters are reasonably well-handled. But the real backbone of the film is the music by Three Brothers & a Violin. It adds a layer of prankish lustre to the goings-on.

Take your young ones for a joyful ride into the kingdom of magic. This could be their introduction to the world of Satyajit Ray.

Subhash K. Jha

and laced with the right amount of humour to be relatable. What keeps you glued to the screen, are the unfaltering performances by the abled cast in well-etched characters.

While Kartik as Guddu is charismatic and Kriti as Rashmi is charming, their on-screen chemistry is perfunctory, nevertheless they bring the right amount of energy and realism to their characters, playing their roles with convivial ease and flourish.

The pair is ably supported by a plethora of actors, who are impressive and true to the characters they portray.

Leading the pack is Pankaj Tripathi as Guddu's sister-inlaw's brother Babulal. Dressed in outlandish outfits and with superb comic timing, he is a laugh riot on screen. Accompanying him in sparkling the light moments is the actor playing Guddu's older brother Vikas.

On the directorial front, some scenes were not astutely crafted, especially the prologue, the denouement and the scenes with the nosy neighbour in Gwalior. They made the film appear amateurish and lazily mounted. The sermonising at the end too, appears forced.

The mater-of-fact lensing by Milind Jog too, does not elevate the cinematic experience. His frames capture the decent production values that highlight its moderate mise-enscene in a very televisual manner.

Overall, despite its shortcomings, Luka Chuppi is a feel-good entertainer.

Troy Ribeiro