Its trailer was really bright giving an impression of an intelligently written, mature romantic drama featuring two talented actors in the lead making an unusual pair. But sadly that isn’t what we get to see in the film, which keeps struggling throughout as a pretty average, predictable road/travel movie unable to exploit its exciting plot of revisiting three old girlfriends.
Relying too much on its lead performers, it’s a kind of film where the director expects the key actors to spell some magic on the screen (on their own) without having enough content in the writing or the story progression. It begins really well introducing the two characters meeting for the first time through a dating website, but then never picks us from there turning into another routine romantic travel movie with nothing much to convey either in terms of dialogues, performances or other (seriously weak) supporting characters.
Despite the name of a reputed director Tanuja Chandra in the credits, QARIB QARIB SINGLLE rarely appears to be anything engaging, witty or entertaining moving through various cities, flights, trains, cabs or hotels. And that’s even more disappointing when you have names like Irrfan Khan and Parvathy (of TAKE OFF - Malayalam fame) desperately trying their best, playing the two strangers in the film revolving around an interesting plot.
Overall, QARIB QARIB SINGLLE can only be seen and enjoyed if one is more interested in the lead cast than the entire film. And I think that should say it all giving you a fair indication.
Rating : 2.5 / 5
(Note: The article was also published on UC-News Mobile App in November 2017)
(Beyond The Review)
Relying completely on its lead couple, asking them to perform some magic instead of the script, the characterization in QARIB QARIB SINGLLE remains seriously questionable throughout showcasing a mysterious and supposedly mature man missing his flight (just like that) travelling with a lady, and then boarding an altogether different looking train standing at the opposite platform on the station, as if that can happen with anyone in real life and is nothing uncommon.
On the other hand, a mature woman agrees to travel with a stranger (an eccentric sounding man) met through a dating website, about whom he doesn’t even know much as a person, seems hard to believe even if you consider it to be an off-beat romantic drama representing the present times. In fact it becomes even more unbelievable, if you think about it realistically in the current scary scenario.
Anyway that still would have worked as a romantic comedy, if their interactions were more entertaining and engaging throughout the two hours and some interesting twists were there introducing the three old girlfriends. But nothing of that sort happens in the entire duration resulting in a below average, less engrossing film that literally wastes two exceptionally capable actors, that wasn’t expected from Tanuja Chandra and her comeback project.
Moreover, at times the camera zooms into Parvathi and she starts looking into it as if she is talking to the viewers. But again with no verbal communication in such moments, the ‘House of Cards’ inspired insertion simply falls flat resulting in nothing.
In short, this can only be seen if you are a fan and just interested in either of the two lead actors more than anything else.
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