The Dharma family returns to their bread and butter-recipe after pursuing the Kill, and producer Karan Johar has perfected the technique of pushing the boundaries only to extinguish it well before it reaches a boiling point. Bad Newz, directed by Anand Tiwari, is a spiritual sequel to Good Newwz (2019). It has attention-grabbing headlines but less substance. It is more analogous to a popular Punjabi film intended for a Hindi-speaking viewership, with the soundtrack launching into a shrill entrance just prior to the arrival of the protagonist.
Bad Newz: The Storyline
The unusual occurrence of heteropaternal superfecundation, in which two distinct sperm fertilize two eggs from a female with several partners during a monthly cycle, is the central theme of the comedy.
According to Bollywood, it’s the chemistry that love triangles create and their biological effects. Additionally, Tiwari has adapted it to the sensibilities of Bollywood heavyweights who cannot risk offending a conservative family audience while still wanting their films to taste like a blend of youthful vigor and liberal principles.
Tipped to become a Meraki Star chef, Saloni Bagga (Triptii Dimri) falls in love with a dashing kid from West Delhi named Akhil Chaddha (Vicky Kaushal), who owns a well-known soya chaap store. Under the glitz and enchanting charm, Akhil is a mamma’s boy, clinging to Saloni and being overly protective, hindering her career advancement. As the two go, Saloni moves to a hotel in Mussoorie, where she meets a calm Punjabi coworker named Gurbir (Ammy Virk). Gurbir is mending the relationship he had with a Gujarati girl by starting a restaurant serving only Gujarati food.
Saloni gives in to her hormones—a rare accomplishment for a Hindi cinema heroine—only to discover later that it was a bad idea to form new relationships before resolving the emotional baggage from the last one. Under the glamour and teasing, Saloni’s illness is a metaphor for the struggles faced by a working woman with clear career objectives. Like her work and love, the fraternal twins growing inside her are similar. Does survival require that one feed off the other?
Bad Newz: The Pre-Interval Review
The first half of the movie is genuinely fascinating; Saloni isn’t open to dating since her goal is to become a chef and earn a “Meraki” star—the Indian equivalent of a Michelin star—and that’s all that matters to her. The fact that a brazen West Delhi munda enters her life and practically knocks her flat is also adorable.
And it’s even wiser to admit that these two things can’t get along as well as Bollywood’s rose-colored spectacles would have you believe. Akhil’s “love” crushes Saloni, and her “dream” turns into a “hobby” in his eyes. There are challenges during the honeymoon phase as well, which makes the impending explosive dispute seem reasonable. Are they really fighting about Rajma?
The issue arises when Saloni begins to gradually leave the picture while Gurbir and Akhil engage in a “jo jeeta who sikandar” fight. In several scenes, the film effectively highlights how the guys turn the entire scenario into an opportunity for themselves. Although Saloni Bagga is mostly always in the background, the writers fail to provide enough of her point of view to make this point clear. It’s unfortunate because a talented actor like Dimrii could have brought depth and nuance to a part like Saloni’s; both the actor and the material are there, but the execution falls short. The actor Dimrii is what elevates Saloni the most; he puts in a lot of effort to make the film powerful.
Vicky Kaushal Shines Bright: The Post-Interval
The cast is the only thing holding the second half together; Vicky Kaushal’s innate charm is hard to miss. Kaushal’s voice, something that would seem downright repulsive to anyone else sounds almost enticing; it’s the ideal casting because you can practically sense what Saloni saw in Akhil. And “Tauba Tauba” never gets old, boy! Not far behind is Ammy Virk’s portrayal of the bereft Gurbir; despite having nothing else to do with the character, Virk’s portrayal of Gurbir makes him seem “real” on film.
Vicky Kaushal plays the dramedy’s lifeline, keeping it afloat even when the drama falters and the humor wanes. In Johar’s world, his Akhil Chaddha resembles Rocky, played by Ranveer Singh, first cousin Rocky. Had there been a hint of the smoothness in his dance moves throughout the narrative, Bad Newz would have added some joy.
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