⭐️⭐️✨ (2.5 out of 5 smirk emojis)
When Bollywood attempts to kick a goal with a football-themed plot, one can only hope it doesn’t end up in the stands. This, however, is the unfortunate fate of ‘The Miranda Brothers’. As your sarcastic scribe, Review Rani, I’m here to give you the lowdown on this film that had the potential to score but ended up being offside.
In the world of ‘The Miranda Brothers’, you meet two siblings, Julio (Harshvardhan Rane) and Regalo Miranda (Meezaan Jaferi), who live in a utopian football dream. Their reality, however, is more akin to a defensive wall that’s hard to penetrate. The sudden departure of their activist mum, Susan Miranda (Manasi Joshi Roy) due to some shady tree-chopping politics, leaves the boys in a free-kick situation without a strategy.
There’s a whole football pitch of a plot here, with each brother dealing with the loss differently. Julio, the hothead, is in a sticky situation with the local drug cartel and their leader Morocho (Rahul Dev). On the other side of the field, Regalo, the sensible one, is busy juggling responsibilities and his football dreams. But what’s a Bollywood movie without a few song-and-dance numbers thrown offside to distract us from the main plot, right?
Sanjay Gupta, the director, tries to dribble around a storyline that juggles loss, sibling rivalry, and football. However, the film’s narrative strategy seems more like a toddler’s first attempt at juggling – messy and all over the place.
Our two key players, Julio and Regalo, represent two different positions on the emotional field. Julio, the rebel with a cause, could’ve been a powerhouse of emotional turmoil, but ends up looking like he’s just there for the half-time oranges. Regalo, the dedicated brother, shows us glimpses of a potential man of the match performance, only to be sidelined by the script.
The film, much like a delayed offside call, takes its sweet time introducing the main conflict. In the meantime, we’re treated to a spectacle of Goa’s nightlife and the actors’ abs, because who needs a well-developed storyline when you have six-pack abs, right?
The football sequences, much like an unexpected goal in the 90th minute, provide some excitement. The final selection trial for the Goa Football League manages to keep us hooked, but only just.
Our actors do their best with the hand (or should I say, football) they’re dealt. Harshvardhan Rane’s Julio is as flat as a deflated football, while Meezaan Jaferi’s Regalo shows some promise but is ultimately left on the bench. Sanjay Suri as Coach Carter and Saher Bamba as Sol put in decent performances, while Jennifer Piccinato as Isabella is largely ignored, much like the rules in a friendly neighbourhood football match.
Rani’s Wrap-Up: ‘The Miranda Brothers’ is like a football match where the players forget the aim is to score goals. It starts with promise, but the lack of conviction, direction, and a well-drafted game plan leaves it floundering in the midfield. The film, much like a misplaced pass, leaves you feeling frustrated and underwhelmed. In the end, ‘The Miranda Brothers’ is not a match-winning shot, but more of a weak pass that leaves you shouting, “Man, you’re offside!”
