Starring: Kiara Advani, Kartik Aaryan, Arjun Aneja, Shikha Talsania, Anuradha Patel, Supriya Pathak, Gajraj Rao
Director: Sameer Sanjay Vidwans
This love story streaming on Amazon Prime has an unusual pairing at its heart with the promise of some usual Bollywood song and dance sequences. What sets this film apart within the roster of recent romantic offerings is perhaps the indication of more serious subject matter.
Sattu a.k.a. Satyaprem Panchal (Aaryan) is a loser homebody who incessantly complains about being single and is desperate to get married at the earliest. However, with him being in charge of the household chores, there seems to be little incentive for his family to go seriously bride hunting for him.
A chance encounter with the gorgeous Katha Kapadia (Advani) at a Navratri festival results in love at first sight, at least for Sattu. He is quite aware that Katha is way out of league but when he sees her zoom past in a fancy sports car with her hunky boyfriend, any remote dreams of courting her also seem to go up in smoke.
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But fate has other plans as Katha’s father dubiously rushes through her wedding to Sattu. There is something not quite right even as the ecstatic groom makes sure his would-be bride is not under any duress. However, soon after the wedding it becomes evident that there is more going on beneath the surface. Katha is adamant about not letting Sattu consummate their marriage and even after they do grow closer as a couple, the physical intimacy remains a huge barrier.
Is there something more sinister behind Katha’s aversion to Sattu’s advances or are the couple simply incompatible?
As promised on the cover, this really isn’t a run of the mill love story. There are several complex layers packed in, including toxic male masculinity and serious issues such as date rape. While the film is far from perfectly crafted, it has much going for it in terms of tackling taboo subjects with relative ease that should connect with a broad range of audiences.
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Aaryan does veer towards over-acting at times, but Advani is spot on with the vulnerability she needs to exude as an otherwise confident young woman. The stars are, however, veterans like Gajraj Rao and Supriya Pathak who render a masterclass in embodying their characters.
On the whole, this one certainly belongs on the streaming watch-list for a lazy weekend if you are willing to overlook some of the cheesiness.