Go for any ‘picture perfect’ picturesque postcard of your preferred
dream-destination and try to imagine looking at it for longer period of time
[Precisely 2 hour and 19 minutes in this case] and no matter how strongly you
wanted to be at that place, you will end up falling in the fear of loathing it
with tremendous boredom. Screenplay writer Devika Bhagat’s début directorial
venture ONE BY TWO is that very beautiful montage of tranquil but lifeless frames
that doesn’t decide to move at all and stands still till you decide to walk
away.
ONE BY TWO is an urban rom-com about 2 individuals, best described as
‘clichéd fools’, sharing monotonous boring lives of same intensity in its own.
Amit Sharma, played by Abhay Deol is stuck in his life-cubicle with a couple of
vigorously influential friends, overtly affectionate mother, a totally
‘deserved to be overlooked’ father and his soon-to be-an ‘Ex’ girlfriend. On
the other, Samara Patel [Abhay’s real life love-interest Preeti Desai] is torn
between an alcoholic divorcee mother and her sky high ambitions to rock the
stage in a dance-reality show. Now, there is nothing in the story that could
show off a ‘New & Fresh’ tag to it. You have seen it all in more than few
romantic comedies on Indian screen.
Though the approached manner of filmmaking smells spanking new with less
dramatic situations, concisely crisp dialogues straight from the horse’s mouth
with flavors being genuine, real and almost unwritten but in a way, it is too
simple, ordinary and pathetically slow-paced to be entertained. Film does have
enjoyable moments, by and large with Abhay Deol being the person in charge but
not sufficient in numbers. Watch him playing the popular ‘Nirma’ jingle on
guitar in desperate times after his break-up. In other, he performs on ‘I am
Pakao’ed´ in his boxers when his potential in-laws come to approve him of being
an eligible son-in-law.
With sharp hands on editing beautifully amalgamated with promising
narrative pattern, skilled cinematography and neat-clean-classy art direction,
film paints scenic frames on screen but not without a long-list of ‘ifs &
buts’. Story rejects to move ahead. Situations are dragged and absolute run-of-the
mill. Leave the impeccably adorable and talented Abhay aside and the ‘known for
it’ performers [Rati Agnihotri, Jayant Kriplani, Lillete Dubey, Darshan
Jariwala] ham like there’s no tomorrow. Preeti Desai looks good on screen, is
confident but that doesn’t get translated much on screen when it comes to
acting. Pace is killing. Length is drastically stretched.
On the whole, Devika Bhagat’s ONE BY TWO is not bad because it is bad
but worse because it ruins the option and opportunity to redefine the ‘not much
explored’ genre of ‘easy-on the head’ urban romantic comedy sliced from the
lives of cool, carefree & casual generation of today’s times. Would it not have
located its base on the clichés, it could have been much better. Samara Patel
enforces in the film, “I don’t believe in fairytales. Real life is better”, I
wish Devika had taken it seriously while putting it all on the paper. Some
‘Khushfahemiyaan’ result in ‘Galatfehmiyaan’. You don’t get mislead. [1.5/5]
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