Shaandaar Movie Review- Bollywood Bubble

Directed by: Binod Pradhan
Produced by: Anurag Kashyap, Vikramaditya Motwane
Cast: Shahid Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, Pankaj Kapoor
Duration: 2 hours 24 minute
Bollywood Bubble Rating: 3/5

India’s first destination wedding film where two bankrupt Indian business dynasties decide to get into a “deal” and marriage is also a part of that. The story evolves as Isha (Sanah Kapoor), a bulky girl finally gets rid of her very judgemental and shallow would-be (or could-be) husband (Vikas Verma) who continuously makes fun of her being not-so-thin. Simultaneously, Alia (that’s her name in the movie too) falls in love with Shahid Kapoor, who plays Sanah’s wedding planner Jagjignder Joginder. That’s Shaandaar for you, in a nutshell;  vibrant and enjoyable.

Vikas Bahl, after Queen, is back with another feminist but unaggressive approach; depicting  the disgraceful treatment  towards women who don’t fit into the usual definition of beauty. With rightly blended story and commercial elements, Shaandaar is a smooth tale of warm affections.

Ask us what we loved the most about it; Alia Bhatt, we will tell you.  An actor who’s expanding herself unbelievably, Alia Bhatt is just too flamboyant. She has come a long way from “Student of The Year” and has miles more to go. Shahid Kapoor, after Haidar, is almost unquestionable. This new pair looks extremely adorable on-screen and leaves us longing for some more. Among others, Pankaj Kapoor  gifts with an enjoyable performance, Sanjay Kapoor is fair and  Vikas Verma is average.

Amit Trivedi with his diverse creations never fails to surprise us. While “Gulaabo” will make you want to groove, “Nazdeekiyan” is all about unspoken love. Anil Mehta had very little to play with cinematography, but his landscapes are breathtakingly beautiful. Oh and we didn’t tell you before, it has some lovely animation also, which you’ll love.

However, Shaandaar carries no serious underlying layers and the plot ain’t extraordinary. With good story treatment, it’s a one time watch. While the first half is tight and likable, the second half is comparatively dragged and the laughter is a little forced. The humour could be more intelligent.

Go watch Shaandaar for just a refreshing two and a half hours. You’ll come out with a smile.

Ranjini Maitra

Journalist. Writer. Reader. Enthu cutlet. Mood-swing machine. Day dreamer. Sandwiched between ‘live life fully’ and ‘lose some weight’. Mantra of life: Love and love more.