Writer-director: Luv Ranjan’s film Pyaar Ka Punchnama strips the LOVE of its Bollywoodish aura and bares its ugly warts with a tongue-in-cheek chuckle. Love in this film is a far cry from Karan Johar or Yashraj brand of pyar of sugary mushiness to leave your senses cloyed. Here, love is a bitter pill, an irresistible one at that, which you can’t do with or without.
At the centre of the tale are three guys Liquid (Divyendu Sharma), Rajat (Kartikeya Tiwari) and Chaudhary (Rayo Bhakirta), all unfortunately single but hankering after some semblance of female company in their dry, barren and messy bachelor life. The drought doesn’t last long.
Rajat manages to woo Neha (Nushrat Bharucha) and even convince her for a live-in relationship. Likewise, Chaudhary hooks up with a rather snobbish Ria (Sonalli Sehgal). Liquid has a crush on his colleague Charu (Ishita Sharma) and she also claims that he is her only friend.
But nothing turns out as in a conventional love story. Neha becomes tetchy, cribbing, carping and Rajat is left grovelling for her attention. Likewise, Ria can’t get over her ex boyfriend and also demands her ‘space’ from Chaudhary. Worst of all, Charu uses and dispenses with Liquid like he was a tissue paper.
The film gets a tad melodramatic in its dying moments but it’s the fun part in the first half that keeps you thoroughly entertained. A lion’s share of the credit must go to newcomers Divyendu Sharma and Kartikeya Tiwari, both of who add a lot of fun to the proceedings. Divyendu’s sarcastic jibes are as much delight as Kartikeya’s outbursts against love and ladies. Which brings us to the actresses, all of which was decidedly annoying but for Nushrat perhaps.
Luv Ranjan has made an engaging satire on love, but the film tends to lose steam mid-way and plods its way to a climax that somewhat brings the story back to square one. Yet, the few funny moments it offers are worth watching.
Rating: 2.5 stars out of 5
At the centre of the tale are three guys Liquid (Divyendu Sharma), Rajat (Kartikeya Tiwari) and Chaudhary (Rayo Bhakirta), all unfortunately single but hankering after some semblance of female company in their dry, barren and messy bachelor life. The drought doesn’t last long.
Rajat manages to woo Neha (Nushrat Bharucha) and even convince her for a live-in relationship. Likewise, Chaudhary hooks up with a rather snobbish Ria (Sonalli Sehgal). Liquid has a crush on his colleague Charu (Ishita Sharma) and she also claims that he is her only friend.
But nothing turns out as in a conventional love story. Neha becomes tetchy, cribbing, carping and Rajat is left grovelling for her attention. Likewise, Ria can’t get over her ex boyfriend and also demands her ‘space’ from Chaudhary. Worst of all, Charu uses and dispenses with Liquid like he was a tissue paper.
The film gets a tad melodramatic in its dying moments but it’s the fun part in the first half that keeps you thoroughly entertained. A lion’s share of the credit must go to newcomers Divyendu Sharma and Kartikeya Tiwari, both of who add a lot of fun to the proceedings. Divyendu’s sarcastic jibes are as much delight as Kartikeya’s outbursts against love and ladies. Which brings us to the actresses, all of which was decidedly annoying but for Nushrat perhaps.
Luv Ranjan has made an engaging satire on love, but the film tends to lose steam mid-way and plods its way to a climax that somewhat brings the story back to square one. Yet, the few funny moments it offers are worth watching.
Rating: 2.5 stars out of 5
