AMIT SAHNI KI LIST: Notwithstanding the predictability, Vir makes it watchable! [2.5/5]

The Rom-com genre in Bollywood has been very different from the Hollywood’s. How can you not have chartbusters to sing it laud to tease your lady-love or shake a leg on it in discs on a Saturday night? How can you even expect to fall in love with it without having a melodramatic heartbreak & overemotional demonstration of its pain on both the parties? And more than that, where is the serious & significant involvement of big extended family members? Mr. Ajay Bhuyan, how can you make a Bollywood Romantic-comedy with limited characters just a couple of more than the fingers on your left or right hand? I fear, AMIT SAHNI KI LIST too had been in the question box for sure, for not meeting all these conditions must for a profitable venture. But then, that doesn’t stop it from being a nice, warm, fresh, witty and lovable romantic comedy for most of it.   

India’s one of the most popular stand-up comedians Virr Das plays Amit, a well-settled heavily paid investment banker with a detailed list of qualities his dream-girl should possess. For obvious reasons, no girl could ever get to tick all the boxes on the list and the search for the ideal girl finally meets its end in Mala [Played by the cute & confident Vega Tamotia], a completely opposite to what Amit is actually looking for. By the time, Amit readies himself for her with identifiable changes in his traits and gets engaged to Mala, the surprise awaits at the very next door. His new desirably gorgeous and deliciously smart business colleague Devika [Anindita Nayar] is supposedly the one who fills all the spots in the list. And, now opens the curious case of confusion, conflict and qualms over one’s ability to choose wise and right.  

The force that drives AMIT SAHNI KI LIST is the minimalist exposé of emotions and the subtle humor in the verbal communication. You never can complain of a forced humor here though it is more of ‘the Vir Das’ approach where the wit comes mostly with the words and not with dramatically loud reactions. Vir is in super form. He can simply pause a scene in between and talk to the viewers exactly in a manner he does it with his live audiences. For the tight spots of an uber-cool urban guy who is all focused for his career and life in general but still baffling with the choices he should make, Vir plays it cool and confident. Vega’s Mala is an emblematic carefree, convinced, lovely & lively girl anyone would love to be with. Anindita woos the screen with her presence but still has a long way to go in the acting department. Kavi Shastri as Amit’s friend is impressive, hilarious and very much likeable.

All good? I say not. The obviousness, regularity and the lack of excitement in the plot kills the promises it encourages. This is a film you already have seen many a times before, obviously with different set of actors, different titles to remember and possibly of all types of production values. I wish if the narrative has been reduced and the writing part could think more inventive about the plot than just concentrating to the talents of Vir Das for a maximum use. Music of the film is another letdown and though it has an experimental new-age feel, it sounds completely wasted. At best, AMIT SAHNI KI LIST is strictly watchable. For a Sunday evening with nothing else to do but waiting for another murderous Monday on the calendar, it doesn’t take much from you. An easy watch! [2.5/5]