Love me not, the film cries out

For the longest time, Dharma Productions has been known for reminding us how rich lives matter. Time and again, it has taken viewers not only on a voyeuristic ride into the extravagant lifestyles of the uber rich, but also offered a deep dive into their ‘struggles’, often evoking a fair degree of empathy, even relatability. ‘Nadaaniyan’ is one more such film where the poor rich girl syndrome manifests itself.

Pia (Khushi Kapoor) is the daughter of ultra-rich parents (Suniel Shetty and Mahima Chaudhry), studying in an ‘ultra-elite school’ where students seem to be doing anything but study. She, ‘the poster princess of privilege and entitlement’, has her fair share of dilemmas, including her parents’ failing marriage.

In order to get rid of the persistent attention of a class fellow whom her ‘best friend forever’ has a crush on, she decides to fake a relationship. In walks Arjun Mehta (Ibrahim Ali Khan), son of middle-class parents (Jugal Hansraj and Dia Mirza.) His six-pack body is matched by brains to captain the debate team. But the real debate among the rude and rough young brats is what is he doing in this school, way above his parents’ pay grade? Though doctors, we believe, make decent money, here we are reminded by school boors how compared to the Jaisinghs, the Mehtas are poor enough to be ridiculed. Oh, but before you jump the gun, class divide is certainly not at the heart of the story.

Of course, Arjun has got admission in this fancy school for he has won a 100 per cent scholarship. Never mind that education is not even a priority in this school, which is run by the feisty Mrs Barganza (Archana Puran Singh). If you think she has walked straight out of the sets of ‘The Kapil Sharma Show’, actually she reprises her part of Mrs Barganza from the film ‘Kuch Kuch Hota Hai’. Only, in her loud act, there are no laugh-out-loud moments. All attempts at humour fall flat, unless your comedic bar is rather low.

The tadka of progressive values in a mainstream film is more than welcome. But here, it’s just a coated veneer that falls faster than a third-grade adhesive-laden poster would. Arjun puts up a spirited defence on behalf of Pia and how she would make a good, nay great, lawyer. Now, which law firm in the world, especially one in the capital of India, would not be aware that women are coming of age and are not meant to be just fashion or interior designers? Yet, mark the look of surprise when the father running one of the top law firms learns that his daughter has the potential to become a lawyer. But full marks to Suniel Shetty for pulling off an impossible part. Despite the implausibility of his character arc, he sounds genuine.

The other set of parents, Hansraj and Mirza, do as best as they can in the limited stratosphere of the story. Sorry to say, we can’t say the same for the star kids.

‘Bilkul apne baap pe gaya hai’ and the reference to his Nawabi lineage do little to elevate Saif Ali Khan’s son Ibrahim’s acting prowess. Clearly, he has a long, long way to go before we can see his acting genes work that magic. Khushi Kapoor, who showed a lot of promise in her debut film ‘The Archies’, too, fails to make any impression. Blame the actors, the script or the direction, neither the young love nor their modern-age conflict, more manufactured than organic, touches your heart.

You are forgiven if you are reminded of ‘Student of the Year’ and doubly forgiven if you can’t find even traces of the same spark. Surface gloss sparkles and has its uses. Sadly, ‘Nadaaniyan’ begins and stops at being surface-level lustre. The customary song and dance routine, with the wedding naach gaana replaced by opulent Diwali celebrations, too, gives us no reason to jhoom.

More humdrum than bubbly, innocent or remotely mischievous, ‘Nadaaniyan’ makes you yearn for a good love story which is fast vanishing from Bollywood’s lexicon of entertainment.