Cast: Kangana Ranaut, R Madhavan, Jimmy Shergill, Deepak Dobriyal, Swara Bhaskar, Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub, Rajesh Sharma and Eijaz Khan
Great films are rare. Rarer still are the ones where key fields of filmmaking like direction, writing and acting all converge with same amount of brilliance. That’s exactly what happens with Tanu Weds Manu Returns (TWMR). Not only is it a sequel better than its predecessor, it’s a movie that engages you and captivates you like no other. It creates a happy feeling for its audience. The exact emotional hit, Queen made last year. Most of that credit goes to Kangana Ranaut’s stellar efforts. Her engrossing performance drives this film. It overshadows every little flaw. It gives the viewer an experience worth remembering.
It’s a sequel so the story picks up where the first film left off. Tanu (Kangana Ranaut) and Manu (R Madhavan) have been married for 4 years. They’ve moved to London where Manu is a practising doctor and Tanu is a homemaker. But you’re introduced to this off-beat couple in a rather dramatic fashion. They’re at an asylum, seeking counselling for their marriage which is almost on the rocks. This particular scene ends up in a hilarious and unexpected end. Those five minutes set the mood for the rest of the film. They establish the fact that Tanu is going to continue being the feisty go-getter. Manu is going to be a victim of his own goodness. And that this odd couple will have an outrageous but totally awesome adventure. Writer Himanshu Sharma has outdone himself in creating a premise that’s genuinely original and equally appealing. Just like in the first film, you have a wedding scenario in North India. Two families of different castes are reluctantly getting two people married under the influence of their love story. Yet, here Manu Sharma is walking out on his wife Tanu and getting married to Datto aka Kusum, who looks exactly like Tanu only with buck teeth. In Tanu Weds Manu you had the lead pair coming together at the wedding of their best friends. In the new film, the lead pair’s marriage falls apart as their best friends’ marriage hits the bottom as well. The circumstances under which Manu meets Kusum are also funny and fresh. It’s perfect writing for a sequel.
Even though the setup of the story is great, the dialogues are brilliant and relevant; there are still a few minor flaws. The plot developments in the latter part of the film are hurried and not thoroughly thought out. Madhavan’s character Manu especially suddenly behaves unlike himself. It facilitates the end of the movie, but that just becomes very convenient. Having said that, this narrative stumble is just a minor gripe. In the larger picture, Kangana Ranaut’s performance as both Tanu and Kusum is so enchanting that you can hardly see past her. Good job by the make-up team ensures Kusum looks like an entirely different person. It just adds a nice helping touch to Kangana’s efforts. She get’s the boisterous Tanu bang on, but her portrayal of Datto with that flawless Haryanvi accent and the flick of the bob cut hair is spectacular stuff. She owns this film and she delivers it in five star fashion.
Full marks to R Madhavan for two brave decisions. One’s to quietly play the second fiddle and the other’s to say yes to a character that’s so easy to loathe. Half-way through the film Manu becomes so influenced by his desire to stray from his marriage that his decisions become black and grey. You feel like slapping him back to his senses and it’s not every day that the hero of a Hindi film will go down that path. Deepak Dobriyal as Pappi, Manu’s best mate is a revelation. His comedy and histrionics are a highlight of the movie. Another character worth mentioning is Jimmy Shergill’s Raja. He has some of the best lines in the film. His character offers the perfect antithesis to the story and to Manu’s actions.
Director Aanand L Rai is in top form. He set a high benchmark with Raanjhanaa two years ago and he’s managed to successfully achieve the same level with TWMR. His film is set in North India, a territory both he and his writer Himanshu excel in. As a result, you have a story and characters that are authentic and entertaining. The film does dodder a bit when it picks up the whole Jat mentality and the inter-caste marriage taboo towards the end. But it quickly recovers. It never lets go of its humour. Even in the most dramatic moments, you have character quirks and situational comedy putting a smile on your face. The innovative music by Krsna and guest composers Tanishk-Vayu adds a nice touch. The Old school girl song is extraordinary.
TWMR entertains you; it makes you happy, sad and euphoric all at once. It’s an intricately designed film and it’s well crafted. Easily one of the year’s best. Another fine feather in Kangana Ranaut’s flourishing hat.