Sanket’s Review : Sanam Re

Sanam Re pretty much exhibits how wrong a love story can go if it doesn’t find its balance between breezy romance & intense romance.

The first half of the film never really makes a headway of where it is really intending to go in terms of story. It’s difficult because the film travels from Shimla to Mumbai to Canada within no time. Not that I was expecting a logical explanation for why they travelled so often given that their prime motto was giving the film a beautiful scenic outlook more than giving the film its romantic space which is what the film is supposed to be. While the comedy in first half works, especially the Manoj Joshi track, the actual romantic triangle plot starts at intermission.

It’s the second half that puts the film in its weakest slot because the tone of romance suddenly shifts to pining and melodrama type after a very unapologetically cheeky and slapstick comedy in first half. It’s hard to believe the makers wanted us to emotionally invest in its climax.

The film’s biggest strength is unsurprisingly its music with almost all songs being easy on ears except the item song. The film has beautiful locales but after a point it seemed more like discovery channel because even the songs are shot like some album songs. I am a huge sucker of sugar coated romance that Bollywood has given us but I tend to hate a film if it takes my attention towards the film for granted.

Pulkit Samrat has the charm but this film clearly doesn’t help him to bring that at display. Manoj Joshi is the comic relief of the film. Yami Gautam has very little to do and her character doesn’t even have a proper arc given that we are supposed to sympathize her in large chunk of the second half.

Sanam Re is undeniably silly and boring. If atleast the intentions of the makers were focused, it would have not turned so bad. But its evident what the intention clearly was – good looking leads, peppy music, exotic locations, item number, forced comedy, pretentious pining in love etc. But these are just the ingredients… Where’s the dish?

Rating : 1.5/5