'Bareilly ki Barfi' (2017) is a love triangle set in a small town buoyed by a strong cast of colourful characters (except, glaringly, the female lead), solid dialogue and some moments of genuine laughter. The director keeps the pace brisk but struggles with tone, and one is not quite sure why this comedy is weighed down by forgettable songs and passing attempts at commenting on the hold that gender roles have on both men and women in society. For a film about a strong and spirited female protagonist, the writing does little to flesh out her character other than put together a bunch of clichés; and Kriti Sanon struggles to bring any credibility to the role. The plot line is equally full of loopholes, and in the end the film is - ironically - kept afloat by stellar performances by the men: Pankaj Tripathi as the supportive yet hapless father and Rajkummar Rao as the endearingly anxious and upright Pritam Vidrohi. The latter's performance literally steals the show and may be the only good pretext to watch this sweet - yet ultimately forgettable - film.
Genre: Comedy, Romance
Language: Hindi
Runtime: 1h 56 min
Year of release: 2017
Streaming platform: Netflix
Hot take is a series in which I offer my first impressions of films from India and around the world.
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