Review of Pyaar ka Punchnama 2

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Cast: Karthik Aaryan (Anshul aka Gogo), Nushrat Bharucha (Ruchika aka Chiku), Sunny Singh (Chauka aka Siddharth), Sonnalli Sehgall (Supriya), Ishita Raj (Kusum), Omkar Kapoor (Tarun aka Thakur), Manvir Singh (Sunny)

Direction: Luv Ranjan

Produced by: Abhishek Pathak

Written by:  Rahul Mody, Tarun Jain, Luv Ranjan

Music: Toshi Sabri, Hitesh Sonik, Luv Ranjan, Clinton Cerejo

Cinematography: Sudhir K Choudhary

Edited by: Akiv Ali

Release Date: 16^th October, 2015

Duration: 136 minutes

Language: Hindi

Pyaar ka Punchnama 2 is a sequel to 2011 film Pyaar ka Punchnama by Luv Ranjan. He was successful in making a youth rom-com. It was a fresh perspective with contemporary takes on love, twists, and turns. Luv Ranjan tries the same formulae in this sequel too, but according to me, it is highly disappointing. The humour occasionally does generate some laughter, but for most part of the movie, it just falls flat. It is a one-sided take by Luv Ranjan. According to him, the girls manipulate, exploit the boys. Although both the movies are misogynistic in nature, this sequel’s approach does not create any magic. It is a sort of running commentary on why relationships with women are impossible. Pyaar ka Punchnama 2 though follows the same path and same theme as that of its prequel, its laughter quotient is far less than its prequel.  

The film begins with the three bachelor friends Anshul aka Gogo (Karthik Aaryan), Siddharth aka Chauka (Sunny Singh), and Tarun aka Thakur (Omkar Kapoor) trapped in traffic while on their way to a bar. They stay together, well-placed professionally, although Tarun being the most highly paid amongst the trio. For all the three boys, life is all about working hard as well as partying hard.  

Spicing up their lives, enter three girls into the scene. Anshul meets Ruchika aka Chiku (Nushrat Bharucha). It was almost a love at first sight where Anshul confidently shares his number and even asks her to make a tattoo in his name. Siddharth identifies his girl-friend Supriya (Sonnalli Sehgall). Tarun aka Thakur (Omkar Kapoor) finds his girl-friend Kusum (Ishita Raj) in gym. The scenes, where Tarun meets Kusum and letches at her, is difficult to tolerate.

All the three girls are of three different nature. Chiku is from a high-profile family, who is shopaholic, has her own style of living, does not mind even having her ‘male best friend’ share flat or room. Chiku feels that her boyfriend shall be always available to take her as well as her friends for shopping, beauty parlours. Supriya is from a middle class conservative family, who is afraid to commit in love because of her parents. Kusum is independent-spirited, always conscious of sharing the bills (which is non-negotiable for her), keeps on sharing her concern over Tarun spending his money over his friends.

How the three couples’ relationships are projected in the movie? What all complications arise?  Who takes the control of the relationships? Do the boys find the girls cool even after dating as they appeared to be initially? The film does mention the fakeness with which the facebook relationship status and profile photographs are updated. The boys blabbering and complaining about the girls’ behaviour and regret of their freedom being curbed generates laughter in parts, but most of time, these are bit annoying and irritating. What is the fate of these three relationships, do these survive?

I agree with the theme which is shown in the film that relationships need to evolve, and are not always bed of roses. But my problem is with the one-sided track of the film, why only females are made responsible for the ill-fate of the relationships? Having tried boys’ perspective in the prequel, Luv Ranjan could have tried a balanced perspective in this film.

As far as the performances are considered, we have seen this Karthik and Nashrut in the earlier version as well. Sunny has definitely given an entertaining performance and Omkar Kapoor is also good. As far as Ishita and Sonnalli are concerned, their performances are fine. Music disappoints. It is absolutely average.

Pyaar ka Punchnama 2 may manage to entice people who genuinely have some vendetta against women. It is very much one-sided track which makes the female appear evil, manipulative, and exploitative. It is very much from males’ perspectives only.

Rating: 1/5 (Poor)