2 States: Giving Life To Every Page

Disclaimer: I am not a Chetan Bhagat fan! Chetan Bhagat can be crowned Bollywood’s Bestseller Author!! (it isn’t unknown that he writes for Bollywood!) So what if his true love story is also too filmy!!

For all those readers who have flipped through the chapters of the book, and for all those who missed doing so, watch the film! Fresh from the bookshelf of Bhagat, 2 States lives through its pages due to is distinct yet intricate connections with every couple yearning to impress their parents into the nuptial. Ok, so the North-South divide does add to its moments of laughter and cries, it surely connects at a larger level with any and every community in India. It is the love story between our protagonists as they try to convince their parents to see their love which they believe is above any region, language and states.

So the film’s plot begins at the exact same spot as the book, with surprisingly the same dialogues! Never mind! The film uses the Punjabi-Madrasi jokes exuberantly, justifying what goes beyond boundaries with utmost elan. It minutely tickles the basic Indian perception that marriages might be made in heaven between the guy and the girl, but Indians end up giving it their own twist and getting even the families married together! No wonder the unique way Krish proposes to Ananya (her family actually!) stands out more than his earlier and an equally sweet proposal during the interview.

The film has been in news for is changing lead cast from SRK-Asin to finally the fresh pairing of Arjun-Alia… I thank the makers for choosing the latter. An unsorted Krish is given direction by a sorted-head-strong Ananya… While Arjun speaks through silence, Alia remains a breath of fresh air right till the last shot of the film. Adding to the clash of clans is a super strong supporting starcast… The Tamlian household shines with the sheer depth of Revathy, the Punjabi gharana bursts with its vibrancy, thanks to Amrita Singh. My personal vote goes to Amrita for being oh so damn real Punjabi mom to the core with her submissive passive aggressive depiction! While the turbulent relationship between father and son hits you with its own references in everyone’s life at some level (read relationship with any family member!) As our love birds try to appease their families, the conflict between communities makes it a highly entertaining watch

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The film had its stereotypical nuances like Krish still writing his story on a typewriter, a little hurried love blossoming just through a single song, several Bollywood connotations and skipping of many interesting sequences from the book which as an audience, we yearned to watch it onscreen (special reference to the mickey mouse underwear and the Kashi wedding sequence!!… Sorry for the spoiler guys!!) My only problem remained with the psychiatrist connection which somehow didn’t gel with the screenplay, ending with Bhagat’s twins (onscreen ofcourse!) 2 States is old wine in new bottle… It is a full house entertainer for the non-readers, and an interesting take for the readers to go back to your memories of the novel… The small cute moments between its characters reminds you of your own real life moments, like Krish’s insecurity seeing Ananya is shorts, Ananya saying thanks for appreciating her in saree when Krish is stopping her from going for a matrimony meeting et al.

2 States humorously takes on several strong issues like dowry and price tags given to guys prior to weddings. It is an unapologetic romantic journey, with a Bollywoodish easy ending, with its bit of half-baked self-woven plot! Nevertheless, it lives upto to the expectations (thankfully!). Bhagat has been lucky to encash on the success of his books even on the silverscreen, and this one completes the hattrick (3 Idiots and Kai Po Che preceding it). Watch it for a beautiful flow of romance through not just the lanes and bylanes of college, but also through states and families. Watch it for some real hummable music and some real chic styling…