New Delhi: In the Luv Ranjan portfolio of films, 'Tu Jhooti Main Makkar' has definitely progressed leaps and bounds from the obvious misogyny template to a more refined,modern aesthetic of it. Starring Ranbir Kapoor and Shraddha Kapoor in the lead, 'Tu Jhoothi Main Makkar' is your modern take on relationships which tackle Mumma's/Dadis boys, independent career-oriented women who would choose to work after marriage, etc. etc.
'Tu Jhoothi Main Makkar' takes an entire first half to get to the point. It becomes more comic, entertaining and worth the length of the film only in the post-interval film.
'Tu Jhoothi Main Makkar' begins with the most mundanely executed opening sequence which shows a suave, rich and bratty Ranbir executing a breakup almost like a show assisted by Anubhav Singh Bassi. Closeups on his shoes, sunglasses, mouth as his persona is revealed until he makes a grand entrance outside Farzi Cafe in Cyber Hub, in Gurugram( The Farzi Cafe to denote his makkarness, a syntax used later in the film as well).
Soon after the perfectly choreographed breakup, which leads to Ranbir paying all those people who as props help him make his side breakup business successful, the title card of the film is played. The opening sequence song 'Pyaar Hota Kayi Baar Hai' shows off Ranbir's excellent dancing skills. Only Ranbir makes this totally excusable opening credits song watchable.
What happens in the next 30 minutes of ‘Tu Jhoothi Main Makkar’ is nonsensical. A death in Bassi's characters' family happens, closeups of Bassi (Tapas) happen, cringe acting and emotionless drama ensues until we figure out that Anubhav's character does not want to get married to his fiance.
Even though the effort is earnest, Anubhav Bassi does need practice.
Then, there is a glimpse into Mickey's ( Ranbir Kapoor) family. There are veterans like Dimple Kapadia who play Ranbir's mother and an entire episode of some 'loss making' to save taxes etc. All this, you as an audience have to make out because the sound dubbing is weirdly off the mark. The only place where you actually get crystal clear sound is in the songs. And, for those, one has to give the filmmaker due credit for shooting them so well.
The writing of ‘Tu Jhoothi Main Makkar’ by Rahul Mody and Luv Ranjan seems quite incoherent in the first 40 minutes. Until Anubhav's bachelorette trip begins in Spain, Shraddha Kapoor is introduced in a dance song, things begin to get much clearer.
There is good chemistry between the lead pair which the makers obviously cannot handle. The dialogue ruins it for the most part of flirting episodes and Shraddha is left to imagine funny jokes to crack up at nonsensical situations or an ace performer like Ranbir to try his best to cover up the lack with 'those eyes' which do much of the talking.
The romance part just before the interval has a slow feel to it. Luv Ranjan is quite liberal with his closeups and dialogues which could have been shortened or done away with completely.
If not for a performer like Ranbir Kapoor, 'Tu Jhoothi Main Makkar' can really get on your nerves as far as the pre-interval film is concerned.
Several subplots and elements like men unable to handle rejection, men consistently pursuing women despite them saying 'no' until the man finally rejects the woman for xyz reasons because that's how things are done, keep revolving throughout the screenplay with no exit or a hint of 'moving on'.
As for performances, Ranbir Kapoor is in his best form. However, 'Tu Jhoothi Main Makkar' cannot be counted among his better works. As an actor, he seems to relish his part, which is quite dominating and subsumes all other characters, even to the extent of his lead heroine, Shraddha's role in it.
Meanwhile, Shraddha is A-game in all her dance numbers and especially outdoes herself in the last song of the film: 'Show Me The Thumka'. Despite being the lead actor opposite Ranbir, her role gives a vibe that it could have been sketched out better and not in a superficial manner.
Dimple Kapadia suits her part perfectly. In fact, she plays an ideal mother and later mother-in-law in the most unrealistic manner possible.
For some reason, men do a lot of talking in Luv Ranjan's film and for a change though there is a Dimple Kapadia character in 'Tu Jhoothi Main Makkar', for most part, Shraddha's character is not given the ample-ideal space to let it out; something Ranbir or Anubhav Bassi's character can so easily do. Funnily enough, there is an interesting Kartik Aaryan cameo where he does not let Shraddha speak because it's his dialogue cue from 'Pyaar Ka Punchnama'.
Even though, as an audience, one might enjoy this meta comment, this particular scene implies the state of the leading woman character in ‘Tu Jhoothi Main Makkar’. Whether it is an intentional move not to give an actor like Shraddha a lot of dialogue v/s letting it rest on Ranbir to sail the film, only the filmmaker can answer.
There is also quite some interesting camera movement in songs and the first half. As the plot gets dense in the post-interval film, there is not much experimentation to be seen in that respect.
The post-interval film has a slightly realistic angle and thus a more entertaining and engaging beat to it. Families get involved in Shraddha( Timmy) and Mickey's romance. Interesting conversations about independent working women, family-oriented men happen.
The best part of the second half is the cameo by Nushrratt Bharuccha and Kartik Aaryan. The two are seen in small scenes which do some amount of interesting meta-referencing to 'Pyaar Ka Punchnama' and 'Ralia'. In fact, Luv Ranjan seems to be quite loyal to the actors he started out with. Their cameos felt like a warm gesture towards them.
The last 30 minutes of the film cover up for an entire 1 hour wasted in the first half which was all about 'establishing people, places and their roles'. There is a tautness in the screenplay which is also well-brought out through the editing.
A high-end emotional romantic-family drama ensues where Boney Kapoor knows not where to look, and hilarious dialogues meta-referencing films( Hum Aapke Hain Koun..! ), a typical airport chase until both the leads are humbled by their circumstances and ideal life stations.
The catharsis in this three act film is well-worth a watch and for that reason 'Tu Jhoothi Main Makkar' can be seen as a family entertainer despite its many problems and pseudo-feminism. There is an end-credits sequence where for some 4 minutes, even as critics you're hooked to what's happening on screen- an ideal life story plays out- an in-laws family and the most loving partner in the world doing everything to make their daughter-in-law feel at home and everyone is supremely happy.
For what it's worth, Luv Ranjan still can make an entertaining watch which might bring audiences to theatres post-pandemic when entertainment-consumption patterns have changed completely.