Bareilly ki Barfi – LallanTop

19

The movie starts with an introduction of Bitti Mishra (Kirti Shanon). Living in Bareilly who loves to break dance,watch English movies, hide and smoke, stay out late at night and works in the electricity department. A complete rebel who finds it difficult to fit in the confines of a small town Bareilly. Has a very understanding father who loves her for everything she is. A mother more worried and does not really approve of her ways. It’s drilled down into her, how her ways are not correct and what a misfit she is and how she is the reason for stress to her family.

She chances upon a novel ‘Bareilly ki Barfi’ where there girl protagonist is exactly like her, and she is convinced that there is at least one person, the writer of the book, who thinks and believes in everything that she is. The book is written by some person called Pritam Vidrohi (Rajumar Rao).

Chirag Dubey (Ayushman Khuranna) has a printing press and is nursing a broken heart for 5 years. To cope with his grief he writes his love story in the book ‘Bareilly ki Barfi’. But he is worried that publishing the book in his name he would bring disrepute to the girl. Hence he bullies his friend Pritam and publishes it under Vidrohi’s name.

Bitti eventually finds Chirag as the publisher but she wants to meet Vidrohi. Chirag mentions that one way of getting in touch with Vidrohi is through fan mail. Chirag and Bitti start exchanging letters. Bitti thinks of Chirag as an intermediary and she is conversing with Vidrohi through the letters and Chirag is falling in love with Bitti. Bitti’s parents don’t like Vidrohi much, as they see him the reason for the resurgence of their daughter with conviction in her rebellious ways. They like Chirag as the soft spoken, nice rich boy. A perfect match for Bitti. Bitti then gets stubborn and insists on meeting Vidrohi at least once.

Vidrohi is a very gullible village simpleton. When he realises that a book has been published in his name he absconds, fearing the contents of the book and a possible backlash. He is now living in Lucknow and working as a saree salesman.

Chirag devises a plan to get Vidrohi to meet Bitti and her parents who would immediately hate Vidrohi and his own marriage to Bitti would sail through. He meets Vidrohi and again bullies him to come to Bareilly and get hated by the Mishras. Chirag turns the simpleton in to a ruffian with loud clothes, disgusting manners and an awful attitude.

But can a golden heart and good intentions be hidden by loud manners and adopted attitude. Bitti and the Mishras fall in love with Vidrohi and Vidrohi with Bitti. And the game of one up man-ship between the two boys begin.

What does Bitti do when she knows the truth? Can Chirag salvage his love story? Does Vidrohi retain his adopted avatar?

The movie is very hilarious. The situations and circumstances are very fresh. The one liners and come backs are smart and crisp. The story has a rustic feel, aptly as set in Bareilly. The dialogues and art direction is very true. The ambitions and the dreams of the characters augurs well with the setting.

Performance by the lead cast is great. Kriti does well. Aayushman has given a great restrained performance. But Rajkumar Rao is brilliant. He just steals the show. What screen presence, he effortlessly floats between being the gullible and the ruffian.

Excellent direction and story telling. The movie though not big on production has enormous cinematic excellence. Editing, screenplay, the narration timing is impeccable. The father daughter relation is well nuanced.

A special mention for the background score. It really enhances the watching experience.

By far the best movie of 2017 as yet.

Don’t miss it..!!