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DUB Review: Pagglait and Progressiveness of Indian Households

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With its skillful cast and brilliant script, Pagglait is a 2021 dark comedy-drama that was released on Netflix on 26 March 2021. It’s a must-watch for everyone interested in deconstructing the hypocrisy and blatant misogyny of Indian households within a patriarchal setting.

Written by Umesh Bist, Pagglait is a narrative about Sandhya, an Indian woman caught in the ugly shackles of a meaningless marriage. With the passing away of her husband, she gradually becomes the woman she needs to be. The thirteen-day ritual of her husband’s passing, brings her to self-growth and self-worth, thus giving her a rebirth. Thus, devoid of a very dramatic or scintillating plot, the Netflix drama revolves around Sandhya who has to die in order to be reborn, like a phoenix rising from the ashes.

While Sandhya struggles to rediscover her newly gained identity, one can see a number of plotlines weaving a narrative that points towards the oddity surrounding the institution of marriage and the convenient ignorance of a woman’s wants. Such ironies can only exist in an Indian context where death brings more enlightenment than life, itself.

Set in the grimy streets and ancestral abode of Shanti Kunj, the plot opens with men and women grieving in their own little ways, while they also struggle to meet ends. What follows is a series of complex rituals so as to perform the last rites in a rightful manner. It’s not much later that the audience is also introduced to the “log kya kahenge” ritual with quirky comments including a relative saying how Sandhya “is not inauspicious as their horoscopes were compatible” when someone tries to question Astik’s passing. 

We are introduced to a rather bored Sandhya in the following scenes who casually yawns while reading the condolences, and later demands coke instead of chai so much so as to let everyone believe that she is not really grieving the death of her husband. The audience remains rather perplexed if she is in denial or was her marriage too hollow to even allow her to grieve. The rest of the storyline, then, becomes a quest of answering such questions so that Sandhya can gradually embrace her unresolved feelings and move forward as an individual. 

Acts such as the disgust of Sandhya on seeing the white sari that her mother brought for her or the frustration of her brother-in-law having to shave off his head further allow us to deconstruct and reassess the depth and effectiveness of such rituals, and if they really stand for anything at all, especially in the face of individual identity and pursuit in the 21st century. Other concerns such as the disgust of Sandhya’s in-laws at one “Nazia Zaidi” and the religious discrimination still prevalent at large hover in the background which all come to the forefront in this patriarchal framework of an Indian setting. 

The fact that her mother regards Sandhya topping her batch in MA English as the “qualification” required to get a nice groom with a 70,000 salary further makes one contemplate how deep the roots of such blatant misogyny and orthodox upbringing really go.

The discovery of Astik’s pre-marital affair, then, only becomes a catalyst in allowing Sandhya to break through this rotten carcass of a marriage, thus giving her closure. She gradually moves forward on the path of knowing what love is and understanding that she can only love someone else when she falls in love with herself.

Such discoveries are underlined and garbed in the layer of humor and mocking of Indian funerals, in general. In fact, the comic scenes are a relief to the serious undertones throughout. There are a number of parallel scenes running at the same time, in an attempt, of perhaps contrasting the same. Although the ending does become somewhat predictable with unnecessary build-up, it succeeds in its aim of communicating the larger message. The numerous characters and their respective growth and storyline allows us to see a bit of grey in each and every one of them. Malhotra’s acting in particular would be an apt one, especially for the role. She brings to her character, an unsaid obligation to give in and yet the need to break free.

Thus, Pagglait, with its progressiveness is a groundbreaking narrative in the Indian cinema. It’s not just the story of Sandhya but of every Indian woman: the pagglait for whom “everyone is ready to decide what’s ‘right’, and what she ‘should’ or should not do, but nobody once actually asks her about what ‘she’ wants”. The dialogue “Jab ladki log ko akal aati hai na, toh sab unhe pagglait hi kehte hain!” leaves the audience with more questions, allowing them to take such discourses home with them: into their own lives and of those around them.

Click here to watch the trailer! (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0xVqPbvLzX4)

Also read: #DUB Review- The White Tiger: A Gripping Tale on the Class Structure of Indian Society

(https://dubeat.com/2021/03/dub-review-the-white-tiger-a-gripping-tale-on-the-class-structure-of-indian-society/)

Featured Image Credits: Wikipedia

Annanya Chaturvedi

[email protected]

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Arts & Culture

Hunters: Al Pacino’s Foray into an Ott Media Series

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A look at one of Amazon Prime’s latest offering, Hunters, a show which is fictional in nature but is based on reality.

 

The story of this web series takes into account many historical factors, such as the holocaust, Operation Paperclip, which was a post World War 2 american operation in which around 1600 Nazi scientists were brought to the U.S.A, wih the legacy of nazi hunters such as the Mossad and Simon Wiesenthal. The show features many familiar faces such as Al Pacino, who needs no introduction, Logan Lerman, who played Percy jackson, and Josh Radnor of How I Met Your Mother. The show revolves around how Jonah (played by Logan Lerman) sets out to seek revenge for the death of his Grandmother and encounters Meyer Offerman (Al Pacino) and his crew of nazi hunters, and the story revolves around the uncovering and foiling of a nazi plot to establish a fourth reich.

 

Before getting into specifics about the show, it would be remiss not to point out the major controversy around the show. In the first episode, Meyer describes an incident to young Jonah of human chess in Auschwitz. The gruesome and dark incident had been made up by the director, perhaps to elicit an emotional response from the audience. The Auschwitz memorial called out the show on twitter stating “Auschwitz was full of horrible pain and suffering documented in the accounts of survivors. Inventing a fake game of human chess for Amazon Prime’s Hunter is not only dangerous foolishness and caricature. It also welcomes future deniers. We honor the victims by preserving factual accuracy.” This certainly brings into question ideas of responsibility even in the realms of fiction, especially if borrowing factors from history, even more so when these are based on the pain and suffering of real survivors.

 

Coming to the show itself, it follows most tropes that you would associate with a show like this, a young protagonist being led by an older mentor/ father figure, a group of rag tag individuals fighting a great menace, the antagonists and their henchmen being completely one dimensional. Where the show does differ is that there is a sense of self awareness about it, not in terms of over the top violence or gore, even with several torture scenes, the gore is not excessive. Where the show is self aware is in little skits placed around every episode which divert completely from the show while explaining a plot point or social commentary, an example of such is the use of a game show in the episode to look at the reasons for anti semitism in America.

The plot line of the show was interesting and well written, and It is definitely a good and easy watch to waste away the hours in quarantine, but prepare to be left with a cliffhanger which is an glaring indicator of a season 2.

Feature Image Credits: Techradar

 

Prabhanu Kumar Das

[email protected]

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Arts & Culture

Hunters: Al Pacino's Foray into an Ott Media Series

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A look at one of Amazon Prime’s latest offering, Hunters, a show which is fictional in nature but is based on reality.   The story of this web series takes into account many historical factors, such as the holocaust, Operation Paperclip, which was a post World War 2 american operation in which around 1600 Nazi scientists were brought to the U.S.A, wih the legacy of nazi hunters such as the Mossad and Simon Wiesenthal. The show features many familiar faces such as Al Pacino, who needs no introduction, Logan Lerman, who played Percy jackson, and Josh Radnor of How I Met Your Mother. The show revolves around how Jonah (played by Logan Lerman) sets out to seek revenge for the death of his Grandmother and encounters Meyer Offerman (Al Pacino) and his crew of nazi hunters, and the story revolves around the uncovering and foiling of a nazi plot to establish a fourth reich.   Before getting into specifics about the show, it would be remiss not to point out the major controversy around the show. In the first episode, Meyer describes an incident to young Jonah of human chess in Auschwitz. The gruesome and dark incident had been made up by the director, perhaps to elicit an emotional response from the audience. The Auschwitz memorial called out the show on twitter stating “Auschwitz was full of horrible pain and suffering documented in the accounts of survivors. Inventing a fake game of human chess for Amazon Prime’s Hunter is not only dangerous foolishness and caricature. It also welcomes future deniers. We honor the victims by preserving factual accuracy.” This certainly brings into question ideas of responsibility even in the realms of fiction, especially if borrowing factors from history, even more so when these are based on the pain and suffering of real survivors.   Coming to the show itself, it follows most tropes that you would associate with a show like this, a young protagonist being led by an older mentor/ father figure, a group of rag tag individuals fighting a great menace, the antagonists and their henchmen being completely one dimensional. Where the show does differ is that there is a sense of self awareness about it, not in terms of over the top violence or gore, even with several torture scenes, the gore is not excessive. Where the show is self aware is in little skits placed around every episode which divert completely from the show while explaining a plot point or social commentary, an example of such is the use of a game show in the episode to look at the reasons for anti semitism in America. The plot line of the show was interesting and well written, and It is definitely a good and easy watch to waste away the hours in quarantine, but prepare to be left with a cliffhanger which is an glaring indicator of a season 2. Feature Image Credits: Techradar   Prabhanu Kumar Das [email protected]]]>

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Features

The Not-So-Dirty Picture

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The new focus of cinema on women’s sexuality is much needed in today’s time. Read further to segregate out the misogynistic films from your to-watch list.

Most of us have grown up watching movies like Dhamaal, Munna Bhai MBBS, or Rock On!. They’re all fantastic movies, no doubt about that, comprising a huge part of our childhood. But when you look closely, most of these blockbuster films portrayed women either of submissive characters or merely as a dancer; an object of men’s satisfaction. If not that, in movies like Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, or even Lagaan for that matter, women are resorted to their typical familial roles in society- as a mother, a daughter or a wife.

The biggest example can be seen in the ageless movie, Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge. The stereotypical roles played by Kajol and Farida Jalal are evidence to Indian audience only being appealed by submissive characters among women. Kabir Singh would be yet another present-day example of a “successful” movie with a plot glorifying one of the most misogynistic lead characters in Bollywood.

Regardless of these commercial films, Bollywood has also presented a platform for cinema to attack gender stereotypes and give a louder voice to the women in India. Movies like Lipstick Under My Burkha, Lust Stories, and Parched follow the lives of different women across the country, depicting their sexual lives or lack thereof. They reflect on the kink residing within women and portray their sexual desires as normal and not-so-dirty.

Caption: Few movies that represent female sexuality without a perverse glance. Credits: The Wire
Image Caption: Few movies that represent female sexuality without a perverse glance.
Image Credits: The Wire

 

Women’s sexuality is often overlooked in Indian cinema, or simply portrayed as “dirty”. Any woman expressing the slightest hint of lust is viewed as a woman of “loose morals”. However, a man’s sexual urges are seen as his “biological needs”. The aforementioned movies give a more decent expression of these desires within women, intending to normalise the same.

Angry Indian Goddesses is another such movie portraying a diverse set of strong, independent women coming together for a bachelorette party in Goa, while talking about sex, their lives and their sexual lives. It depicts women in solidarity and strength rather than as rivals. They allow their courage to lead them through the path of freedom in search of true happiness.

However, these movies do not tend to do so well commercially because this isn’t the plot that “sells”. Movies like Unfreedom, Margarita With a Straw, Ek Ladki ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga, and Super Deluxe are not so popular among the general audience, observing low box-office returns. Clearly, the audience of India doesn’t wish to see women in control of their desires and want them to submit to patriarchy- in society and in their sexualities.

Feature Image Credits: Book My Show

Aditi Gutgutia
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Arts & Culture

Dear Dad, What If You Were Gay?

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Dear Dad answers a weirdly unexpected question, “What if your Father was gay?” Read on to find out more.

The movie comes to its objective point very quickly. Its protagonist, a man in his mid-thirties with a teenage son, a little daughter and a facade of a happy family is gay. He has been living a lie for years, closeted and pretending to conform to societal expectations, and the truth fumbles out of him during a road trip with his son.

Debutant director Tanuj Bhramar goes with this unprecedented story where most film makers would dare not. It is a father-son-bonding-on-a-road-trip trope used in an unconventional way.

They meet new people, explore new ideas, travel to picturesque locations, and visit childhood homes. With an impending secret blossoming, that Shivam’s beloved father Nitin is gay, and has finally decided to come out of the closet after living half his life pretending to be someone else, the narrative rushes with emotions.

The story ventures into exploring the idea of shame; how the supposedly modern teenage son cannot digest that his father identifies with the LGBTQ+ community. It takes him the whole journey to realise that his father’s true sexuality does not make him (Nitin) a different person. He is still the same, just a lot happier and comfortable in revealing to the world an essential truth about himself.

The best part is that the film doesn’t focus on questions like ‘why now?’, rather it highlights the reactions and changes in the relationship dynamics this revelation brings about. The interaction between Nitin and his paralysed old father at his childhood home is equal parts emotional and rational.

Arvind Swamy’s performance gives a heart-soaring touch to make Nitin’s character more real and sincere. His trials, tribulations, apprehensions and eventual relief are portrayed in a soft manner by Swamy which brings about a sense of sincerity into the story.

The film is not perfect, it tests your patience at parts and seems too slow, but it is worth watching for what it is trying to say. Bollywood is home to a handful of films that get representation right, and Dear Dad certainly is one of the few. There is nothing stereotypical about this closeted gay and his coming out story. So this pride month, maybe watch it with your friends to get a deeper understanding of what sexuality really means to a person.  

Feature Image Credits: Debaangshu Sen for DU Beat

Sakshi Arora

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A Review: Shlok Sharma’s Zoo

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From the director of Haramkhor (2015), ‘Zoo’ takes you on a journey from the ghettos of Bombay to its elite societies and drug addiction.

Addiction is a disease; it occupies your mind and soul. Drug addiction amongst the Indian youth is a rising concern for the nation. According to a 2015-survey conducted in Punjab, over 83% of drug users were employed, and 89% were literate, showing that drug addiction affects all social classes and, unfortunately, very few get the help they need to battle addiction.

Shlok Sharma’s Zoo, shot entirely on an iPhone 6 Plus, explores drug addiction and identity in the city of Mumbai through the central storyline involving five protagonists, two brothers, two wannabe rappers from the slums of Mumbai, and a girl who refuses to leave her house. The only things connecting their storylines are drug addiction and trade, and their personal conflict with their own identities. The characters involuntarily succumb to their weaknesses.

Shashank Arora, who was the lead in Brahman Naman, plays Bicky, a coffee shop worker who pretends to be mute and runs a drug business on the side. His brother who goes by ‘Messi’ (we never learn his real name) is a young, hot-headed footballer who ends up being fascinated with his older brother’s profession. The third protagonist, Misha (played by Shweta Tripathi) is an under-age girl who resorts to drugs in order to deal with her past. She never leaves her apartment, and she refuses to meet her family.

Image from Netflix.
Image from Netflix

Towards the end of the film, we find the reason behind her addiction and a glimpse into her dark past. Two rappers from the slums of Dharavi, Mumbai seem slightly alien to the storyline as  they are in search of their big breakthrough, while the world around them fails to understand their craft. Prince Daniel and Yogesh Kurme deliver excellent performances throughout the film.
The four storylines run parallel to each other, but the characters lack depth. Emotional outbursts and monologues fail to deliver to the potential of the film. We see the bond between the two brothers grow and Bicky’s rising concern for his younger brother, but his emotions fail to make the movie stand out. Misha’s character seems rather bland, as the audience is taken through the journey through relapses and mood-swings, but one is left wondering if there is more to her character.

 

In my perspective, the film would have progressed better if there were fewer protagonists, and the audience would also be able to emotionally connect with the characters. As the movie progresses and delves into the story-line focusing on the extremes of Mumbai, one fails to emotionally connect to a character and root for their victory for there are way too many story-lines and emotions to follow.

For a film shot on an iPhone, the cinematography is excellent. Most of the film is shot in natural light which adds to its rawness. Since the film focuses on love, loss, and addiction, I would love it if there was a separate film revolving around the story of the two rappers, Yoku and Prince. The film ends on a bittersweet note, where a few characters gain the closure they desperately seek, while others meet an untimely (and abrupt) end.

Feature Image Credits: Netflix

Jaishree Kumar

[email protected]

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Arts & Culture

A Review: Shlok Sharma's Zoo

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From the director of Haramkhor (2015), ‘Zoo’ takes you on a journey from the ghettos of Bombay to its elite societies and drug addiction. Addiction is a disease; it occupies your mind and soul. Drug addiction amongst the Indian youth is a rising concern for the nation. According to a 2015-survey conducted in Punjab, over 83% of drug users were employed, and 89% were literate, showing that drug addiction affects all social classes and, unfortunately, very few get the help they need to battle addiction. Shlok Sharma’s Zoo, shot entirely on an iPhone 6 Plus, explores drug addiction and identity in the city of Mumbai through the central storyline involving five protagonists, two brothers, two wannabe rappers from the slums of Mumbai, and a girl who refuses to leave her house. The only things connecting their storylines are drug addiction and trade, and their personal conflict with their own identities. The characters involuntarily succumb to their weaknesses. Shashank Arora, who was the lead in Brahman Naman, plays Bicky, a coffee shop worker who pretends to be mute and runs a drug business on the side. His brother who goes by ‘Messi’ (we never learn his real name) is a young, hot-headed footballer who ends up being fascinated with his older brother’s profession. The third protagonist, Misha (played by Shweta Tripathi) is an under-age girl who resorts to drugs in order to deal with her past. She never leaves her apartment, and she refuses to meet her family. [caption id="attachment_62159" align="aligncenter" width="300"]Image from Netflix. Image from Netflix[/caption] Towards the end of the film, we find the reason behind her addiction and a glimpse into her dark past. Two rappers from the slums of Dharavi, Mumbai seem slightly alien to the storyline as  they are in search of their big breakthrough, while the world around them fails to understand their craft. Prince Daniel and Yogesh Kurme deliver excellent performances throughout the film. The four storylines run parallel to each other, but the characters lack depth. Emotional outbursts and monologues fail to deliver to the potential of the film. We see the bond between the two brothers grow and Bicky’s rising concern for his younger brother, but his emotions fail to make the movie stand out. Misha’s character seems rather bland, as the audience is taken through the journey through relapses and mood-swings, but one is left wondering if there is more to her character.   In my perspective, the film would have progressed better if there were fewer protagonists, and the audience would also be able to emotionally connect with the characters. As the movie progresses and delves into the story-line focusing on the extremes of Mumbai, one fails to emotionally connect to a character and root for their victory for there are way too many story-lines and emotions to follow. For a film shot on an iPhone, the cinematography is excellent. Most of the film is shot in natural light which adds to its rawness. Since the film focuses on love, loss, and addiction, I would love it if there was a separate film revolving around the story of the two rappers, Yoku and Prince. The film ends on a bittersweet note, where a few characters gain the closure they desperately seek, while others meet an untimely (and abrupt) end. Feature Image Credits: Netflix Jaishree Kumar [email protected]]]>

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DUB Speak

Butter, Brando and Bertolucci

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Anger and disgust spewed from some of the most high profile Twitter accounts in Hollywood after a three year old interview of Last Tango in Paris director, Bernardo Bertolucci re-circulated online.

In it, the Italian director admits to feeling guilty over his treatment of the then 19-year-old Maria Schneider while making his 1972 film, especially while filming “The Butter Scene”, where Schneider’s character Jeanne is lubricated with a stick of butter before Marlon Brando’s character, Paul, has sex with her without consent.

What’s most shocking is not the fact that two influential men of great power in Hollywood conveniently bullied a young actress who was desperately trying to carve a path for herself in the industry, but the fact that it took a director’s statement to spark outrage when Maria Schneider admitted that “I (she) felt humiliated and to be honest, I felt a little raped, both by Marlon and by Bertolucci. After the scene, Marlon didn’t console me or apologize. Thankfully, there was just one take,” she said soon after the film released.

To understand the reality of what goes on behind the scenes is absolutely devastating- it is unforgivable on any director or producer’s part to use deception, just because Bertolucci “ wanted her reaction as a girl, not as an actress.” Iconic film or not, non -consensual sex is a crime just the same. The fact is, ladies and gentlemen that an actor’s job is to act, to try and portray the situation as realistically as possible. This is exactly why Brando and Bertolucci have no excuse for what they’ve done- they picked Maria because they believed she fit the role best and their lack of faith in an actress’s ability is something that most male figures shared in the industry at that point in time.

It is an absolute shame to see such a critically acclaimed film reach such lows- after all Last Tango in Paris is considered to be one of the finest erotic films ever made- a genre less explored. Let’s hope that there are no more surprises in store for us- it will be truly heartbreaking to learn that little Gretl was forced to star in the Sound Of Music.

Feature Image Credits- IBTimes, UK

Anahita Sahu
[email protected]  

 

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Flicks

Movie Review: 2 States

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From the campus love and drama to the family fights and rights, 2 States based on Chetan Bhagat’s best selling novel by the same name would take through a laughable ride filled with a lot of ‘aww’ moments here and there. The movie that runs in the flashback mode of the narrator’s story portrays different cultures of families across India.

Cast : Arjun Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, Amrita Singh, Ronit Roy, Shiv Kumar Subramaniam and Revathy
Director : Abhishek Varman
Music Director : Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy
Based on Chetan Bhagat’s best selling novel : 2 States – The Story Of My Marriage.

 

Krish (Arjun Kapoor), a Punjabi boy who is an IIT graduate from Delhi happens to join the ‘serial proposers’ list of Ananya (Alia Bhatt), a tamilian girl at IIM Ahmedabad where they study for the much over rated MBA degree. The conversation that starts by offering a rasgulla ends up with both the characters falling in love (well, that had to happen). The campus story that is wrapped up by the director in the initial 30 minutes may leave you craving for more of college masala. The steamy scenes between the lead pair must have left Chetan a little nervous, but the audience seems to enjoy it quite a lot though one never stops wondering that how Krish and Ananya share the bed at the hostel room on campus (there is a different hostel for boys and girls. Obviously).

The movie that shifts from the colour and flavour of college at Ahmedabad to the rich homes in Delhi and Chennai, holds the viewer to watch how the predictable story will be paralleled by commendable acting and direction. The typical fussy Punjabi mom (Amrita Singh) and a strict retired army father (Ronit Roy) at their Hauz Khas makaan (because ghar toh pyaar se banta hai), bring both smile and disgust on the faces of the viewers. As disciplined south Indian parents, Shiv Subramanyam and Revathy are very particular yet boring in their actions. The cultures of these ‘2 states’ seem to be exaggerated a little but this much cinematic liberty can be entertained.

Krish who also teaches Ananya’s brother finally after a lot of buttering takes on the proposal. The twist is where he proposes all members of the Swaminathan family and not only the girl (that is quite innovative). Ananya and her parents then go all the way from south to north to convince Krish’s mumiji (his dad is least interested by now) but his mom is a typical muhfatt punjabi. Her racist remarks on madrasi people forces the Swaminathans to withdraw their interest from this inter-caste rishta. Krish’s irritating massi and other members of the family who finally reach the wedding venue in the school bus (like yes, a school bus decorated with flowers) leave the audiences laughing. Now how this happened even after so much of ‘marriage politics’ is something you need to watch this movie for.

Music of the movie by Shankar Ehsaan Loy and dialogues by Hussain Dalal convey all the emotions in the fancy Bollywood manner. Alia’s beauty and her costumes do not fail to impress the people of both sexes. Arjun takes the heart away by his cute smile and his look supported by nerdy glasses.

All you out there with a very soft heart, you may feel the need of handkerchiefs in the few scenes. But as you reach out to your pocket, something on screen will stop you. The book by Chetan Bhagat is surely a better tale of these 2 States but Abhishek Verman as a director makes a significant debut.

Oh yes! The movie forces all the young heads to think, “Why don’t we have such a life?”

DU Beat correspondent, Iresh Gupta sat with the stars of 2 States, Arjun Kapoor and Alia Bhatt. Click here for an exclusive interview.
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