Riding on the success of Queen, Kangana once again carries a film on her shoulders
A Potpourri of Vestiges Review
By Murtaza Ali
Featured in IMDb Critic Reviews
 |
| Tanu Weds Manu Returns (2015) - By Anand L. Rai |
Our Rating: 6.5
IMDb Ratings: 8.6
Genre: Comedy | Drama | Romance
Cast: Kangana Ranaut, R. Madhavan, Jimmy Shergill
Cast: Kangana Ranaut, R. Madhavan, Jimmy Shergill
Country: India
Language: Hindi
Language: Hindi
Runtime: 128 min
Color: Color
Summary: Tanu and Manu's marriage collapses. What happens when Manu meets Tanu's lookalike Kusum - and when Tanu returns?
Tanu Weds Manu Returns is a 2015
Indian rom-com directed by Anand L. Rai and is the sequel to the 2011 film Tanu Weds Manu, also
directed by Rai. Written by Himanshu Sharma, Tanu Weds Manu Returns stars Kangana
Ranaut, R. Madhavan, Jimmy Shergill, and Deepak Dobriyal in the pivotal roles. The
movie is set four years after the dramatic turn of events of Tanu Weds Manu
wherein the seemingly incompatible duo of Manu and Tanu had managed to get
hitched, overcoming all odds. Manu and Tanu now find themselves on the brink of
separation. As with all things life, the passion has subsided and it’s replaced
by monotony and solitude. Their marriage seems more like a burden and a
formality than a symbol of mutual love and respect. Their decisions are no
longer driven by love but by their own egos. Apparently, all the efforts of couples therapy have gone in vain as well. And yet, whether they want to
believe it or not, all is not lost. And, so, they must both suffer, for
although life is a great teacher, alas, it teaches things the hard way. As
a scrutiny of the institution of marriage, Tanu Weds Manu Returns reminds this
critic of Krzysztof Kieślowski’s Three
Colors: White (1994) and Kangana Ranaut's portrayal of a seemingly selfish, inconsiderate wife of Julie Delpy's brilliant turn in the very film.
 |
| Kangana Ranaut as Tanu in Tanu Weds Manu Returns |
Tanu Weds Manu Returns is the
kind of cinema that the Indian masses crave for. It’s a formula that just
cannot fail in a diverse and colorful country like India. We Indians love to
celebrate. The dozen or two religious festivals are just not enough. Festivities are an
innate part of our lives. And marriage functions are the grandest of them all. For
us, marriage is just not a union of two individuals but it’s an alliance of two
families. It’s an occasion that gets everyone excited—be it the children, the young,
or the old—for it is perceived as the greatest celebration of life. In short,
the marriages are a singularly viable business. For Bollywood, it’s a bankable
subject like no other. Some of the biggest commercial hits in the history of
Hindi cinema revolved around the theme of marriage. Films such as Hum Aapke Hain Koun...!
(1994) and Dilwale Dulhania Le
Jayenge (1995) exploited the Indian sentimentality for the traditions
and rituals associated with marriage particularly well. And the trend continues with more recent films like Band Baaja Baaraat and Tanu Weds Manu. So, while the subject pretty much remains the same, the treatment of it often varies like the case with Tanu Weds Manu Returns. If Tanu Weds Manu was a testament to the efficacy of very fabric of marriage in binding us
together then Tanu Weds Manu Returns is a gentle reminder of its fallibility.
 |
| Kangana Ranaut as Kusum and R. Madhavan as Manu |
Tanu Weds Manu Returns is a
non-stop entertainer from start to finish, but, in order to fully enjoy the
film, one needs to be credulous enough to believe anything and everything that’s
on offer. In other words, the viewer must be willing to suspend the disbelief concerning
the implausibility of the narrative. Once the viewer makes this compromise, Tanu
Weds Manu Returns will prove to be a rollercoaster of a ride. The film
certainly shows us the dark side of marriage but it does so without appearing
too grim. Marriage is like any other partnership but sometimes the patriarchal
mindset can make the male partner behave in a rather chauvinistic manner. Now,
that’s fine as long as the fairer sex is willing to bend but the modern Indian
woman can be every bit as feministic in her ways—if that's the cast it will certainly set the two
of them on a collision path. In Tanu
Weds Manu Returns, we witness how a free-spirited girl and her pragmatic
husband fail to meet each other’s expectations. How a lack of mutual understanding
and respect takes them on the brink of divorce. How young couples forget that a
marriage is never “all take and no give.”
 |
| Jimmy Shergill as Raja Awasthi in Tanu Weds Manu |
Overall, Tanu Weds Manu Returns offers
truckloads of entertainment and can be enjoyed by one and all. The movie's witty
dialogues and crude humor immensely add to its entertainment value. Tanu Weds Manu Returns has an undercurrent of social commentary which is quite relevant to the modern
Indian society. It also serves as a critique on the institution of marriage.
But, the film shouldn’t be mistaken for anything more than what it really is—a
sophisticated example of commercial escapism in cinema. Riding high on the
success of Queen (2014),
Kangana Ranaut once again carries a film on her able shoulders with her
essaying not one but two deeply contrasting albeit powerful caricatures (both of which
are a treat to watch). Kangana is in the prime of her career (although the film didn't fare well at the box office, her performance in Sai Kabir's Revolver Rani was widely appreciated) and she just seems unstoppable. Kangana is well supported by the rest of the cast. Here it would be just make a special mention of Deepak Dobriyal as "Pappi" and Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub as "Chintu". There’s
no denying the fact that Kangana is the most bankable actress in Bollywood
today. She is no longer the troubled prodigy she once was and has certainly
come of age as an actress par-excellence as far as Hindi cinema is concerned. Tanu
Weds Manu Returns has its share of flaws (among other things, the ending is far from satisfactory) and it relies heavily on time-tested gimmicks
but that doesn’t stop it from serving its purpose, that of entertaining the
masses. Recommended!
Readers, please feel free to share your views/opinions in the comment box below. As always your feedback is highly appreciated!
References:
Tanu Weds Manu Returns (2015) Trailer
People who liked this also liked...
Saw the movie last night. I agree with your review in toto!
ReplyDeleteI loved the movie. The script is weak and the end atrocious. But the screenplay, dialog and a sterling cast were clear winners.
ReplyDeleteGlad to hear that, Deepak... and thanks for sharing your thought! :-)
ReplyDeleteI couldn't have agreed more...the dialogues and the performances make the movie tick!
ReplyDelete