Dono REVIEW: Rajveer Deol, Paloma and Avnish Barjatya deliver three impressive debuts

Film:
Dono

Director: Avnish Barjatya

Platform: Theatre

Star cast: Rajveer Deol, Paloma, Kanikka Kapur, Aditya Nanda, Rohan Khurana, Manik Papneja

Dono review

Story

Dev’s (Rajveer) best friend Alina is getting married to Nikhil, but she doesn’t know that Dev has been in love with her for 10 years. On the other hand, Nikhil’s friend Meghna (Paloma) has just broken up with his other friend Gaurav. All of them get together for Alina and Nikhil’s big fat Indian wedding. But it gets emotionally challenging as Dev and Meghna struggle to get closure in their lives.

What works for Dono

The direction:

The biggest plus point of Dono is the vision of Avnish. The young filmmaker has carried on the Barjatya values and moulded them in the contemporaray times. The way he has envisioned the whole story, nowhere it seems dragged or even much far from reality. His screenplay is on point and the nuances he has picked just hit the right note. Sooraj Barjatya should be super proud of his son.

Avnish has brought out topics like gaslighting, body insecurities, one-sided love, low self-esteem and a lot others very subtly. Most of them are so authentic and natural, you feel a sense of relatability in them. We have all seen big fat Indian weddings on screen, but Avnish has given a unique touch to it as well. Be it the ice-breaking cricket match or tying saafas on lagan, he has brought out things which weren’t explored much before. He brings a lot of freshness to the screen through his vision. Truly, for me, Avnish Barjatya is the true star of Dono.

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Lead pair’s chemistry:

While I have used the word chemistry, let me just clear it that for most of the runtime, that chemistry isn’t romantic but it’s the relatability between the characters. And that’s what makes it special. Rajveer Deol and Paloma have a spark which I will discuss a little later, but together they are very likeable. They do compliment each other as an on screen couple.

There is innocence and warmth, but above all, there is a freshness in this pairing. Not just because they are debuatantes, but the way their situations are handled, it will make you like them. The beach scene, which was the first glimpse from Dono, is beautifully done. And along with Rajveer Deol and Paloma, Avnish also deserves credit for that. Without spoiling anything, let me just say, I love the film’s ending.

The visuals:

Might sound superficial, but the visuals of Dono are truly visually appealing. You can’t help but feel attracted to what is going on screen. The scenic visuals of Thailand, which is where the majority of the film is shot, are just beautiful. The costumes also add to that appeal. It is a treat to the eyes for sure.

What lacks in Dono

Music:

The reason I put the music here is not because it is bad. Shanka-Ehsaan-Loy have done a good job, but apart from the title track, no other track is as memorable. The songs are aptly placed in the narrative and support the storytelling, but once you exit the theatre, they won’t stay in your mind for long.

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Performances:

Again, the performances in the film aren’t bad, but the maturity that is there in Avnish’s vision, somewhere doesn’t get complete support from the cast. Every actor in the film has a moment to shine, and they deliver there. But there are patches where you feel disconnected. They feel like a dialogue recital rather than an interaction. Rajveer’s equation with his father in the film just didn’t convey what it wanted to.

Tisca Chopra has a brief appearance in the film, and while we know the film is about closure, she is the one who makes it pretty clear vocally. And that scene is involuntarily funny, but not in a good way. You feel like if she says the word ‘closure’ once again, you will lose it. And with Tisca, you expect more.

Less impactful first half:

The second half of the film is its stronger suit. The emotional intensity increases there and so does the conflicts and the drama. Thus, in comparison to it, the first half seems weaker.

As I mentioned in the good points, Avnish has portrayed many themes perfectly, but the sexism bit seem a bit outdated in the way it has been executed. It is not to say that sexism doesn’t exist today, but the way it is explored, it seemed a bit too 90s type. Although, I must say that it connects quite well at the end.

Star Performances

Rajveer Deol has made an impressive debut. Firstly, let’s just take it out of the way, the man looks super handsome and his appeal and charm is undeniable. Now, he might have entered as the son of Sunny Deol, but this role is very far from what one would expect from Sunny’s son. Rajveer’s Dev is shown to be a patient, sympathetic and soft person who is just likeable in every form. And the actor pulls that well. Also, who would have thought that a Deol family boy would serve as a dance teacher on screen to someone.

However, even though he has potential, Rajveer needs to work on himself to improve, especially on his dialogue delivery. That is one thing about him that creates disconnect at some points. Although, his face and his eyes do talk and convey his emotions, which is a plus point. For a debut, he does well, but obviously, a lot of scope to improve.

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Paloma is truly a surprise. The young starlet sure knows how to carry herself in each and every emotion. The way she plays Meghna with honesty and authenticity, it makes you connect with her. Meghna’s plays herself to be this confident and brave person, but her vulnerabilities make her human. Paloma brings that out beautifully. I just loved her backstory and she did phenomenally in that.

But just as Rajveer, even Paloma’s drawback lies in her dialogue delivery. Most of the times, she hits the mark, but there are moments where it just falls flat. That is something she needs to work on. But I must say, Poonam Dhillon’s daughter carries her charm.

Kanikka Kapur as Alina delivers a good act as well. It is her sangeet night where she gets the opportunity to shine and she grabs it. At times, she does play a little too over excited or over dramatic for the scene. But overall, a pretty good act, and her chemistry with Rajveer works too.

Rohan Khurana as Nikhil, the groom, is fun on screen. What I like is that he is that typical Bollywood inspired man, but is not frivolous. His high point comes in the wedding sequence and he steals the show in that.

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Aditya Nanda has the one character in the film which you can maybe dislike a little. And since he was able to bring out that feeling in me, I would say he did a pretty good job. Even though, there were scenes which seemed a bit overdone on his part, especially one in the flashback.

Manik Papneja has one of my favourite characters in the film. Sadly, he fells in the trope of the ‘Hindi film best friend’. But still, he is able to extract a likeable performance and you feel a smile come on whenever he comes on screen.

Conclusion

To conclude my review of Dono, I would say that the film is a breath of fresh air. Rajveer and Paloma’s chemistry is the USP, but Avnish’s vision takes it several notches up. It isn’t something extraordinary, but it is a film that will make you feel good. You will leave the theatres with a smile on your face and a happy feeling in your gut. So, do give it a watch.

Also Read: Dono trailer: Rajveer Deol and Paloma promise to take you on a vibrant journey of love and emotions