Phillauri
Starring- Anushka Sharma, Suraj Sharma, Diljeet Dosanh and Mehreen Pirzada
Director- Anshai Lal
Rating- Meh
Everyone drinks merrily in Phillauri. We are introduced to a granny who drinks. It’s 9 am and she is already seen with a glass. And it makes perfect sense to have such a character in your film. Everyone loved the drinking dadi in Vicky Donor; everyone will love this one as well. So what if drinking in Vicky Donor signified bonding between the otherwise quarreling mother in law and daughter in law, a means to unwind, relax and let go. So what if it has no connection inPhillauri? As long as we come across as progressive and liberal, because, hey, broad-mindedness in Bollywood is spelled as J-a-c-k D-a-n-i-e-l-s.
You wait and watch for it to make some sense. Soon the film shifts time to 100 years ago. We see Phillauri (Diljit Dosanj), a Sufi looking fellow, with an Iktara in one hand and liquor in the other.Chaar bottle Vodka…kaam mera roz ka…continues! He really is the Yo Yo Honey Singh in pre-independence times. He sings meaningful songs that celebrate his manhood and his escapades with PYTs in his village. But it’s different you see. There is some Sufism in his‘Ladkion ka laga hain buffet…’ thought! He sings-
Bajake Tumba Saari Pind ki Kundiyon Ka
Phillauri Nachda Bajaka Tumba
Wow such poetry. I can die in peace now!!
Phillauri has two love stories interlinked with each other. Both stories are just spectacular. I mean spectacularly weak. Shashi in pre-independence times (Ansuhka Sharma) wants to convert our Yo Yo Honey Singh into Sonu Nigham and Anu in 2017 (Mehreen Pirzada) is just clueless why her Canada returned fiancé Kanan, is having cold feet before their wedding.
Shashi-Phillauri love story still managed to leave some impact with all its socio-economic background and its effect on people, especially women. But the modern love story had far bigger issues to deal with; the inner struggle of a young K’nada returned boy trying to understand The Roadies kind of ‘hum das saal se “go around” kar rahe hain’ language spoken by his fiance. It’s a mind bending clash of the sensibilities (read accents)!!
The film though packs some genuinely heartfelt performances.
Anushka Sharma is a natural. She lends meaning to her lines but even her acting chops couldn’t save a mediocre script. Her hazy sparkling ghost look is interesting but beyond a point she looks too white and bright and so ready to feature in the next Happy Dent gum ad.
Suraj Sharma looks genuinely appalled seeing the ghost and brings a decent amount of earnestness to his character. But I can’t believe he went from Life of Pi to Phillauri!! He is like Alia Bhatt in reverse.
Mehreen Pirzada shows promise in an emotional ‘drunk’ scene and successfully shows Anu’s insecurities and helplessness.
The film is extremely slow paced. It takes you exactly a second to guess the mystery of the disappearing man (Diljit) who ditched his bride (Anushka) at the altar but the film takes years to reveal it.
Phillauri despite some genuinely good performances failed to stir any emotions or strike any chord.
fByLokesh 