Movie Review: Phillauri
First published: FOLLO.in
It has a ghost as its central character and yet, Phillauri could easily be mistaken for a trademark Disney film. Because this ghost does not scare. Instead, it might make you laugh a bit. Phillauri is essentially a love story. Two love stories actually, one deriving from the other.
Kanan Gill (Suraj Sharma) is married to a tree to ward off evils that are bound to haunt a ‘manglik’ person’s married life. Instead, a ghost, who has been living on the tree enters his life as his invisible wife. They are stuck together, both bewildered and clueless. Obviously, the plot ensures a lot of comic scenes, which are enhanced because of the characters.
The two stories are set 98 years apart, one in 1919 and other 2017. The earlier in Phillaur and the contemporary in Amritsar. It is not an easy screenplay to write as characters in both eras are completely different, the only link between the two being Shashi, the ghost (Anushka Sharma). The lingo spoken is different, the outlook is different... a fairly progressive person from 1919 finds herself completely out of place in 2017 as she sees a bride wearing a backless gown. Writer Anvita Dutt, who had last written the screenplay of the miserable Shaandaar, does a better job this time around at getting her characters right.
Where the film falters, however, is the pace at which it unfolds. The film could have easily been cut shorter on the edit tables. Especially in the last 10 minutes, when the film needlessly turns into a promo for Red Chillies VFX, where the VFX of the film has been done. The film is heavy on visual effects because of the presence of the ghost in most part of the contemporary story. And they have done a good job at it. But the final few minutes could have done better with more emotions than the focus on VFX. In fact, the lack of emotional connect is the biggest drawback considering it banks highly on melting the audience’s hearts as the film moves towards the climax.
This is Anushka Sharma’s film. As a ghost as well as a living person she brings in the best moments in the film. Suraj Sharma, who had debuted as Pi in Ang Lee’s Life of Pie shows he is versatile enough. This time around he plays a Canada return Amritsar high society chap, who is confused if should indeed get married to his childhood sweetheart. Mehreen Pirzada, who debuts in Hindi films with Phillauri, has tremendous cuteness and that works for her character. The charmer Diljit Dosanjh woos the women, on and off screen.
With so much going for it, Phillauri could have easily been a better film. It is miserably devoid of the ‘aww’ factor, though, something it needs the audience to feel as they walk out of the theater. The film should work for you if you are a sucker for romance. Debutant director Anshai Lal would need another attempt to showcase he has it in him to convert good ideas into fantastic films. This idea, by the way, does look ‘inspired’ from Tim Burton’s Corpse Bride.
It has a ghost as its central character and yet, Phillauri could easily be mistaken for a trademark Disney film. Because this ghost does not scare. Instead, it might make you laugh a bit. Phillauri is essentially a love story. Two love stories actually, one deriving from the other.
Kanan Gill (Suraj Sharma) is married to a tree to ward off evils that are bound to haunt a ‘manglik’ person’s married life. Instead, a ghost, who has been living on the tree enters his life as his invisible wife. They are stuck together, both bewildered and clueless. Obviously, the plot ensures a lot of comic scenes, which are enhanced because of the characters.
The two stories are set 98 years apart, one in 1919 and other 2017. The earlier in Phillaur and the contemporary in Amritsar. It is not an easy screenplay to write as characters in both eras are completely different, the only link between the two being Shashi, the ghost (Anushka Sharma). The lingo spoken is different, the outlook is different... a fairly progressive person from 1919 finds herself completely out of place in 2017 as she sees a bride wearing a backless gown. Writer Anvita Dutt, who had last written the screenplay of the miserable Shaandaar, does a better job this time around at getting her characters right.
Where the film falters, however, is the pace at which it unfolds. The film could have easily been cut shorter on the edit tables. Especially in the last 10 minutes, when the film needlessly turns into a promo for Red Chillies VFX, where the VFX of the film has been done. The film is heavy on visual effects because of the presence of the ghost in most part of the contemporary story. And they have done a good job at it. But the final few minutes could have done better with more emotions than the focus on VFX. In fact, the lack of emotional connect is the biggest drawback considering it banks highly on melting the audience’s hearts as the film moves towards the climax.
This is Anushka Sharma’s film. As a ghost as well as a living person she brings in the best moments in the film. Suraj Sharma, who had debuted as Pi in Ang Lee’s Life of Pie shows he is versatile enough. This time around he plays a Canada return Amritsar high society chap, who is confused if should indeed get married to his childhood sweetheart. Mehreen Pirzada, who debuts in Hindi films with Phillauri, has tremendous cuteness and that works for her character. The charmer Diljit Dosanjh woos the women, on and off screen.
With so much going for it, Phillauri could have easily been a better film. It is miserably devoid of the ‘aww’ factor, though, something it needs the audience to feel as they walk out of the theater. The film should work for you if you are a sucker for romance. Debutant director Anshai Lal would need another attempt to showcase he has it in him to convert good ideas into fantastic films. This idea, by the way, does look ‘inspired’ from Tim Burton’s Corpse Bride.
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