Director: Shashanka Chaturvedi
Cast: Kajol, Kriti Sanon, Shaheer Sheikh
Rating: 2.5 stars
Watching Kanika Dhillon’s films is akin to observing the sea during unpredictable weather. It seems calm and composed, then turns rough and thrilling, hinting at an impending storm, only to settle abruptly, becoming completely still and tepid. Undoubtedly, Dhillon—one of Bollywood’s few A-list female writers—is an original thinker. Her stories often boast intriguing premises, featuring strong, complex, unapologetic female characters and intricate plots. However, they rarely provide a fully satisfying experience, leaving one feeling they could have been much better. Films like Manmarziyan, Judgementall Hai Kya, and Haseen Dillruba 1 and 2 all follow this familiar pattern. (Let’s not discuss Dunki and Raksha Bandhan, shall we?)
This brings us to her latest film, Do Patti, now streaming on Netflix, for which she is credited not only with the story, screenplay, and dialogues but also as co-producer alongside Kriti Sanon. Directed by Shashanka Chaturvedi, the movie delves into multiple themes: domestic violence, sibling rivalry, obsession, love triangles, childhood trauma, and law versus justice. Leading the charge are two remarkable ladies—Kajol, the firebrand star of the ’90s and early 2000s, and Sanon, counted among today’s most talented young actors.
The ingredients are all there, so what could possibly go wrong? In this case, a lot—all thanks to a weak and weird screenplay, and some terrible acting (more on that later). Kriti plays identical twins, Saumya and Shailee, living in a small hill town with a foster mother (Tanvi Azmi). As with most Hindi films that defy scientific logic, the twins look really similar, right from the body type to the eyebrows and voice. But as with most Hindi films, their personalities are diametrically different. Shailee is the bold, wild, and adventurous one who wears skimpy clothes, has short hair, and a devil-may-care attitude. Naturally, she smokes and drinks, while Saumya is demure, shy, and conservative with long tresses. (At least with a female writer and producer, one would imagine this stereotype of wild and vile = smoking-drinking-westernised woman and sweet and nice = demure, sacrificing Indianised girl would be subverted, but alas.)
Shailee hates Saumya and is in constant competition with her, for reasons that are not really explained. Things reach a head when they both fall for the same guy—Dhruv Sood (Shaheer Sheikh). Dhruv is a rake who flirts with both sisters, falls for the wild one but marries the comely girl. Thus far, it’s a love triangle. The film takes a sudden twist into domestic violence, escalating to an attempted murder. Tasked with untangling who’s faking, who’s guilty, and what’s really going on in the Sood household is Haryanvi cop and lawyer VJ aka Vidya Jyoti (Kajol). More twists follow—some predictable, others not so much. By the conclusion, the simplistic story has taken a convoluted path, riddled with plot holes, unexplained details, and inexplicable character shifts. Even the social message on domestic violence, capped with statistics, does little to redeem it.
The inconsistency in pitch, tone, and character arcs is the main failing of Do Patti. For instance, Shailee, who does everything in her capacity to hurt Saumya (to the extent of impersonating Saumya on her wedding day to cozy up to her husband), suddenly undergoes an extreme change of heart. What brought this on? Dhruv is a happy-go-lucky flirt but what makes him a monster? How does the meek Saumya get the courage to turn into an avenging angel? Far worse is the liberties taken with the law and process. Kajol is the policewoman handling the case who also dons the lawyer’s robe to fight the case for the victim in court. And in the next scene, she goes back to being an investigative officer. Is a cop with an active job working on a case allowed to argue the same case? Legal experts, please help.
The abundance of unanswered questions makes it challenging to stay invested in the characters. Certain scenes, particularly those addressing domestic violence, are handled thoughtfully, sparking genuine curiosity about what might unfold. Yet, as the story progresses, nothing of true significance occurs, leaving you feeling perplexed and unfulfilled. The theme reminds you of the dark comedy Darlings, starring Alia Bhatt and Shefali Shah. But the beauty of that film was that while it dealt with domestic violence, it had a delicious comedic undertone without diluting the seriousness of the topic. There is no such balance here. For instance, a Holi song right before the biggest twist in the tale throws it completely out of gear.
Surprisingly, Kajol is the weakest link, completely out of her depth as a hard-nosed policewoman. Her body language and gait lack the authenticity of a tough cop, offering little to the role. Worst of all is her accent, veering from rural Haryanvi to polished Delhi within a single sentence—the inconsistency is jarring. However, her co-stars hit a six. Sheikh is quite the man to watch out for, being charming and menacing at the same time. The scene-stealer, though, is Sanon, who has evolved as a fine actor. Handling two diverse and complex characters, Sanon comes out a winner despite the weak script. Azmi plays the girls’ shifty, whisky-guzzling foster mother really well; her story deserved a deeper dive than what it offers currently. And then there is always delightful Brijendra Kala playing the supportive assistant to Kajol, throwing in a cheeky one-liner or two.
Ultimately, Do Patti remains undercooked and underdeveloped, with the makers not playing their cards well enough to make for a good game. Another week, another disappointment in Bollywood.
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