Review of Dum Laga Ke Haisha

Cast: Ayushman Khurrana (Prem Prakash Tiwari), Bhumi Pednekar (Sandhya Verma), Sanjay Mishra (Prem’s father, Chandrabhan Tiwari), Alka Amin (Prem’s mother, SHashi Tiwari), Sheeba Chaddha (Nain Tara, Prem’s Aunt), Seema Pahwa (Subhadra Rani, Sandhya’s mother)

Direction: Sharat Katariya

Produced by: Aditya Chopra, Maneesh Sharma

Music: Songs – Anu Malik; Background Score – Andrea Guerra

Production Company: Yash Raj Films

Release Date: 27^th February, 2015

Duration: 111 minutes

Language: Hindi

Dum Laga Ke Haisha, a film by Sharat Katariya, is a sweet Hindi Romantic Comedy film. The movie deals with the way matrimonial alliances happen in our country. Arranged marriage is arranged to such an extent to accommodate all the arrangements, but the very concept of love misses from the same. Parents decide for their children (which is no wrong) and choose the most ‘suitable’ for them, but it need not be the most suitable alliance. Sharat in this movie Dum Laga Ke Haisha shows the mental agonies of both Prem and Sandhya. The tag line of the movie ‘Love comes in all sizes’ is also very appropriately chosen. I liked the concept of the movie, but I didn’t like certain dialogues which was used to comment upon obese woman as ‘Saandh’, ‘Moti’ etc. But probably the director has tried to capture the mentality of the people.

The movie is set in Hardwar in 1990s. Prem (Ayushman Khurrana), Kumar Sanu’s fan, manages his father Sanjay Mishra’s shop of cassettes and recording. Prem is a school drop-out. He confesses that three things bring tears in his eyes: Exam’s English question paper, his father’s slippers and Kumar Sanu’s melodious voice. His parents convince him to marry Sandhya (Bhumi Pednekar, a newbie), who has completed her B.Ed. Family feels that Sandhya can get a teaching job and that can help them financially. The scene is very interesting where the whole family goes to see her in a temple. Prem is reluctant to marry her due to her weight but had to yield to parents when they say that he is also incapable of getting a girl with ‘Juhi-Chawla-level-of-looks’. Prem and Sandhya get married in an elaborate mass wedding ceremony. It is interesting to see the brides dressed up as if for Jagaran.

A Still from the Movie

The journey starts thereafter. It is so difficult for Prem to accept Sandhya the way she is. There are instances, when Prem feels uncomfortable even to go to the market with Sandhya. There are obvious misfits. Sandhya has done her B.Ed and she aspires to be a school teacher whereas Prem, a school drop-out with a laidback body language.  Prem is uncomfortable speaking English and so at times he feels inferiority complex as well. Sandhya is a woman of substance, who is comfortable with herself and not ready to accept the jibes of Prem or family just without retorting. She is not worried to speak her mind. Although Sandhya loves Prem and is assertive enough to express herself, she is not able to win over Prem. Both the families are worried about the future of their relationship due to their detached relationship. Lot of events unfold but ultimately Prem and Sandhya participate in Dum Laga ke Haisha competition where the husbands have to carry their wives on their back and run and cross every hurdle.

How the movie progresses? Can Prem find his love in Sandhya? Is Sandhya able to continue the relationship with Prem even at the cost of her self-esteem. Whether the idiom “देर आये दुरुस्त आये” fits for their relationship or not? Is Prem able to accept Sandhya, the way she is? Watch the movie to know how Prem and Sandhya’s relationship shape up.

Ayushman and Bhumi have done full justice to their roles. Both of them are so convincing. Sanjany Mishra (as Prem’s father), he is such a natural actor. Another fine performance from this ‘Ankhon Dekhi’ actor. Seema Bhargava (as Sandhya’s mother), Alka Amin (as Prem’s mother) and Sheeba Chaddha (as Prem’s aunt) are also very good. Its music is a tribute to Kumar Sanu.

A Still from the Movie

Indeed, Dum Laga Ke Haisha is wonderfully crafted. Even the name of the movie has lot of depth. Relationships become liabilities in the absence of sense of belongingness. The burden of carrying unwanted relationship is even more painful. In this movie, Prem agrees reluctantly to marry a girl whom he did not like, just to yield to family’s pressure (or emotional blackmail). Isn’t it the story of many households today also in our country. Parents want their son to get a superior girl whereas girl’s family wants her to do all sorts of adjustments for marital bliss. In many arranged marriages, love comes only at a much later stage. Do I sound like saying that only love marriages succeed. No, I don’t mean this. What I mean to convey is that whether arranged marriage or love marriage, it is impossible to thrive without the most important ingredient i.e. Love. And when we speak about love, isn’t it networked through souls. Are we obsessed so much with the physicality of the other person that we even are not able to sense his or her love ? The asset of the movie is that every character is itched out in a very natural manner.

Dum Laga Ke Haisha talks of relationships becoming a burden with the absence of the most important ingredient ‘Love’.

Rating: 3/5 (Good)