🌟🌟🌟 (3 out of 5 stars)
Well, buckle up buttercup, ‘cos Review Rani is here to tickle your funny bone while tearing apart the latest Bollywood offering, "Auron Mein Kahan Dum Tha". 😁
The plot, dear reader, revolves around a man who’s been holed up in prison for more than 20 years for a double murder. His crime? Falling in love. Oh, Bollywood, you never cease to amaze me! 😂 Our hero’s released early for good behavior (because in the world of Hindi cinema, double murderers are also candidates for early release), and then he goes off to find his long-lost love, who surprise surprise, is now hitched to someone else.
"Auron Mein Kahan Dum Tha" is Neeraj Pandey’s latest attempt to explore the depths of love, longing, and everything in between. The film begins in a prison, introducing us to Krishna, played by the ruggedly handsome Ajay Devgn. We then take a nostalgic trip down memory lane, where we discover the love story between a young Krishna (Shantanu Maheshwari) and Vasudha (Saiee Manjrekar). Cue the violins please! And guess what? Our young lover boy ends up behind bars for a quarter of a century.
Once out, Krishna finds his lady love Vasudha (Tabu), now a Mrs. to someone else. Oh, the drama! 😏 The rest of the movie is a back and forth between the past and present, making a yo-yo look like a master of stability.
The veteran Ajay Devgn does a commendable job portraying the transition from tough inmate to love-struck man. The newbie Shantanu Maheshwari, on the other hand, goes from sweet boy-next-door to a hardened prison survivor, proving that Bollywood can indeed turn a teddy bear into a grizzly. And let’s not forget Tabu, who gives a solid performance as a woman torn between her past and present.
Even though the performances are on point, the movie itself seems to have an identity crisis. One moment it’s a 90’s Bollywood flick, complete with festival songs and macho fights in the rain, and the next it’s a slow-burning emotional drama. The editing is choppy in parts, and the big reveal is as predictable as a Bollywood plot can get.
What saves the movie from being a total snooze-fest is the second half, which picks up pace and even manages to induce a few laughs, courtesy of Krishna’s best friend, Jignesh (Jay Upadhyay).
So, in the grand scheme of things, "Auron Mein Kahan Dum Tha" is a well-intentioned attempt at a mature love story that unfortunately gets bogged down by its pacing and predictability. Watch it if you’re into slow burns with a side of emotional melodrama.
Rani’s Wrap-Up: "Auron Mein Kahan Dum Tha" is like a Bollywood masala popcorn – a bit too salty, a bit too sweet, but you still munch on it because… well, who doesn’t love popcorn, right? 😜
