Nadaaniyan review: Ibrahim Ali Khan, Khushi Kapoor’s bland film is a warning sign, Bollywood romance is heading south

Nadaaniyan review: The film fails to engage, with a weak screenplay. Ibrahim Ali Khan doesn't impress while Khushi Kapoor does better.

Nadaaniyan review: Candy floss is sweet and pink. Bubble gum is similar in colour and taste, but chewy. There’s no logic to why we are suddenly discussing them. The same can be said about the two hours of yawn fest that is Nadaaniyan.

Nadaaniyan review: Ibrahim Ali Khan and Khushi Kapoor star as young lovers in Nadaaniyan,

And this is coming from someone who has cheered at Rohit Shetty’s OTT action films and laughed during Salman Khan’s brainless comedies (when they used to be done well).

Debut vehicle of Saif Ali Khan and Amrita Singh’s son Ibrahim, this high school drama is a page from the same book as Karan Johar's Student Of The Year. Imagine a film so bland, it makes you nostalgic for the silly, frothy fun of SOTY.

The plot

The story here revolves around rich Pia (Khushi Kapoor) dealing with personal issues even as she puts on a smile and faces the world. Arjun (Ibrahim Ali Khan) is focused on his career, and doesn’t want any ‘distraction’. After a misunderstanding with her friends, she convinces Arjun to act as her fake boyfriend in exchange for money. Of course feelings get in the way… there’s nothing more to the story.

Nadaaniyan is directed by Shauna Gautam, who has assisted before on films such as Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahaani. While the skill can be learnt, art cannot. KJo still gets flak for directing a potboiler college romance like SOTY, but making a film that holds your attention for three hours is no small task. One has to go wrong on colossal levels to make something which acts as a sleeping pill.

This is that film.

Not cool, not funny

The screenplay by Ishita Moitra, Riva Razdan Kapoor and Jehan Handa simply fails to take off. One waits for that glimmer of hope but it gets butchered the moment Ibrahim’s character, after a rather juvenile speech, lifts his T shirt and shows off his abs to win the post of his school’s debating society president. This tone-deaf portrayal of school life is neither cool, nor funny.

The same can be said about the rest of the story, which crams in another track involving Pia’s broken family- her parents (Suniel Shetty and Mahima Chaudhary) and patriarchal grandfather.

The world of Nadaaniyan exists in a bubble, isolated from the realities of life. One where coming from ‘Noida’… oops, ‘Greater Noida’ is something to be ashamed of. Everything small is projected as earth-shattering.

It’s astonishing that this is the same production house which bankrolled some decent romances until some years back. I Hate Luv Storys, Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania, and so many more from Dharma captured youthful romance so well in comparison. Nadaaniyan feels like a misstep.

The film’s visuals evoke the feel of a low-budget school play rather than a polished romance.

And now, the acting department. Ibrahim is faithful- not to the art but to that one constant confused/disgusted expression he has on his face. It’s his first film, okay. Then he should have prepared more. Who gives an exam without preparing? It’s a disappointing debut.

Khushi Kapoor fares slightly well, as she has a tougher story arc, overcoming a broken family. She handles emotional scenes well, but her dialogue delivery needs more nuance. Dia Mirza and Jugal Hansraj play Arjun’s parents, and they are decent. Suniel Shetty as Pia’s father has nothing much to do here, and feels wasted. Archana Puran Singh is back as Mrs Braganza Malhotra from Kuch Kuch Hota Hai. Shows how desperate filmmakers are today to evoke nostalgia for maximum eyeballs.

The music by Sachin-Jigar is forgettable, except Ishq Mein.

Overall, the best part about Naadaniyan is that it’s not a big screen release. Another good thing is, it ends. I couldn’t stand to see romances, once a forte of Bollywood, being reduced to this mess. Time to re-release more good-old romantic films like Sanam Teri Kasam, instead?