Decoding Dum Laga ke Haisha (2015)


Movie no. 10/100

May 23, 2018

A story set in the Hindi heartland, shot on location with characters that seem extremely real – sounds more like an Anurag Kashyap film. And, expecting the same elements from the Yash Raj stable seems unbelievable. But, debutante director Sharat Kataria’s 2015 sleeper-hit, Dum Laga Ke Haisha, was a welcome change. Starring Ayushmann Khurrana with Bhumi Pednekar making her debut, Dum Laga Ke Haisha brought back the flavor of Kumar Sanu, narrow Galis of Haridwar and reminisces of the 1990s.

Set in the winters of Haridwar in 1995, Prem Prakash Tiwari (played by Ayushmann Khurrana) is a naïve 25-year old, who runs his father’s old cassette shop. He dreads English in class 10 examinations as much as his dreads his father’s ire, and somehow never overcomes the fear of either. Owing to his family’s pressures, he agrees to marry Sandhya (played by Bhumi Pednekar), a confident woman aspiring to be a teacher, but - slightly on the heavier side. What starts as a marriage of convenience, soon begins to fall apart owing to their differences. How they overcome these and take part in a desi version of ‘Devil’s Circuit’, called Dum Lagao Contest, forms the rest of the story.

Image result for dum laga ke haisha

The movie was like a breath of fresh air – simple characters, no vanity, minimal pomp, real situations and extremely familiar environment. The performances are enhanced by the fun and witty dialogues, the best of which Sheeba Chadda and Seema Pahwa get. The music by Anu Malik and the cinematography by Manu Anand teleport us to the bygone times of the 1990s, and evoke a great sense of nostalgia. Moh Moh Ke Dhaage, with National Award-winning vocals by Monali Thakur, is a beautifully soothing song, glorifying the beauty of Haridwar in the night.

With veteran actors among the supporting cast, the movie had a brilliantly formed ensemble. Seema Pahwa, Sheeba Chaddha, Sanjay Mishra and Alka Tiwari, playing the families of the lead pair are a delight to watch. Playing the typical small-town folks, they induce laughter with their brilliant comic timing. The court-room drama is especially a well-made sequence, with the supporting cast lightening the somber mood. Also, I particularly like the conversation that Sandhya and Prem have with songs from the 90s acting as their dialogues. Bhumi Pednekar made an unconventional debut as the confident, dignified and slightly plump, Sandhya. She is unabashed about her weight and unapologetic about speaking her mind. Sandhya could have become haughty, but the Bhumi Pednekar’s subtle craft made her performance nuanced and memorable. Ayushmann Khurrana as Prem is a far-cry from his usually urban roles in his previous movies. He is not flamboyant or chivalrous. Prem is a simpleton from Haridwar and Ayushmann displays his innocence very well.

This short, sweet and simple love story paved way for other small-town romances to spring up in Bollywood. While Bareilly Ki Barfi and Shubh Mangal Saavdhan were celebrated films, the credit rightly should go to Dum Laga Ke Haisha for paving the way for them. Eagerly looking forwarde Sharat Kataria’s next, Sui Dhaga with Anushka Sharma and Varun Dhawan!!


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