Tanu Weds Manu

Having read the synopsis, I became interested in Aanand Rai's 'Tanu Beds Manu'. The film starts amusingly, even though full of clichés. The beep slangs were funny but it would have been funnier if there was no beep but then again the makers wanted to make the movie family friendly I guess. I liked the references it makes to other Hindi films. The interaction between the characters are fun especially in the first half and Manu's initial struggle after being turned down by Tanu and peer and parental pressure are shown amusingly. I also enjoyed the scenes with Kangana Ranaut and Madhavan in this portion of the movie. It's only after the introduction of Raja Awasthi that things rapidly head downhill. From then on it becomes another generic Bollywood love triangle that has been overdone in, well, numerous Bollywood movies. At this point the film drags on and on until the predictable and overstretched ending. Madhavan does a brilliant job as the slightly nerdy goofy Manu. Comedy may not be Kangana's fort but she tries and is quite alright. Jimmy Shergill is wasted. Deepak Dobriyal is excellent. Ravi Kishen is wasted. Overall, this could have been a decently entertaining lighthearted fare all the way if it weren't for the lacklustre second half.

Today i watched Tannu weds Mannu without much expectations from it, but it turned out to be a good time pass movie.

First half is really like a roller coaster ride. Lots of humor with some 'beeped slangs'. It was really funny to hear Indian slags from Kangna who is playing a role of a bindass girl.. ;). As the movie move on you create an interest in the story. Unlike most of bollywood movies where you can predict every scene before, this movie is some what different.

Second half is comparatively slow and the story calms down with some emotional touch in the movie. Story becomes somehow predictable, but it needs to be that way. They couldn't do much in that.

Kangna has shown in couple of her last movie that she can also act a bit. Madhavan is good as always.

Overall it is a good time pass movie. Go and watch it if you are bored with you daily routine and want some fun.

Last Sunday, just casually I went to watch Tanu Weds Manu with a low expectation. And to my immense surprise, I felt extremely satisfied after watching it. In fact, as the movie progressed, I found myself being lost in the narrative, flowing with the storyline and the characters (mainly with the hero). This low profile movie is based on an unrealistic story of a well-educated (and well-mannered) NRI doctor, falling for a drunkard, smoker, foul-mouthed and philandering girl of a middle class family of Kanpur (it's been told that she had had her education in Delhi). However, it's the utterly realistic portrayal of this unrealistic story on the screen which makes it a winner.

As expected, the boy falling for the charms of the girl (whom he sees for the first time in a highly intoxicated state and he thought she was slept), finally wins her over first emotionally and then practically. So the end of the movie is as predictable as any other bollywood movie of the same genre. However, the twists and turns in the story alongwith the highly realistic milieu and the supporting characters involved, turn the experience of watching this movie into a highly satisfying one.

At the very outset, it reminds the viewer of Hum Aapke Hain Kaun and later it is reminiscent of Jab We Met and Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge at places. However the commendable thing is that despite similarities in bits and pieces, this movie maintains an identity of its own. It's definitely not a copy of any other movie.

The locales of Kanpur, Kapurthala, Lucknow etc. have been captured by the cinematographer with a high degree of excellence for which he deserves an award for sure. The lives of the middle class people (whether they are from the prospective bride's side or the prospective groom's side) have been shown with so much naturalness that the characters and their homes look quite real and nowhere filmi. The middle-class India shown in the movie is, in fact, the real one with real flesh and blood characters that may be found at next door to us.

The first half is thoroughly gripping and entertaining whereas despite its shorter length, the second half is a bit dragging and edgy. However, overall the movie render an air of feel-good. We know that the hero will get his love in the end (after all, he is an Indian hero), still the script-writer has done a marvellous job by maintaining the curiosity throughout.

After a very long time, I listened to such soul-soothing music in a bollywood movie. So full marks to the music director as well as the lyricist.

The supporting characters of the movie are above its story; utterly real, familiar and like a gust of fresh air. Whether it's the chaddi-buddy of the hero or his present best pal, whether it's the closest friend of the heroine or the fathers of the hero-heroine duo, all are able to leave their imprints on the viewers' hearts. In fact, it's the supporting cast which is the heart and the soul of this movie.

Jimmi Shergill stands out in the predictable climax and once again proves that he's an actor par excellence. I have been an admirer of R. Madhwan since his Rehna Hai Tere Dil Mein days and to me, he played the character of the mature and considerate hero, doing justice to his love at first sight, with perfection. His underplay deserves a standing ovation indeed. Many readers may not agree with me, however I found Kangna Ranaut as miscast in the role of the spoilt girl. Barring the final 15-20 minutes, I found her expressions and gestures as plastic, not emerging from her heart.

When Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge had been released, I was a heartbroken boy and not being mature enough, used to think of getting the love of my life in the style of Raj (Shah Rukh Khan). Later on, upon growing up with age only I realized that I could never be so resourceful as the larger than life character of Raj in DDLJ. However I am able to identify with Manu of TWM; the considerate, understanding, well-educated, yet old-fashioned and traditional and above all, sacrificing, true lover.

Despite the film's incredible success, I personally found it to be a simple film with nothing but overused clichés of Hindi cinema. A mess made for theatres, suitable as television serial, though has splendid actors in it, falls short because of it's boring screenplay.

Just because you take a bakwaas bollywood film, remove all of it's cringe parts, and make a Desi film out of it with Desi music filling incessantly, doesn't make your film award deserving. It was rather disappointing.

Movie was very much put on the tanu's perspective towards life, marriage, boys and manu but out of all of these Manu and his genuinity stands out through out the movie. Tanu seems dumb at times to unnotice or consider Manu and we may tend to go to the state where its tanus loss if she doesnt find interest in manu and his world. Overall movie was very well made and it hits the audience anxiety because it is shown from tanu's perspective. Because almost everyone will hate so much by the time of interval that only manu bears all her tantrum's. Acting wise kangana was very very good and i think this is the first film of hers where she proved herself with her acting. Madhavan was as usually a best fit into the character. Songs where good enough. Overall a Good Cinema.