Tu Jhoothi Main Makkar might feel like Luv Ranjan grew up to make a film where women are not supervillains—except that he did not. His 2011 directorial venture, Pyar Ka Punchnama, may have won some over with its freshness, but Tu Jhoothi Main Makkar is almost unbearable. The first two hours drag endlessly, and the film only picks up—pace and life—in the last 20 minutes. If this really is the last rom-com of his career, Ranbir Kapoor deserved a better swan song.
The film revolves around Micky (Ranbir Kapoor) and Tinny (Shraddha Kapoor), who meet at their friends’ bachelor party in Spain. Micky is the heir apparent to a Delhi-based business empire and a passionate ‘break-up artist’ like his friend, Mannu (Anubhav Singh Bassi). Tinny, on the other hand, has a regular nine-to-five job and aspires to lead an independent life. Eventually, Micky falls hard for Tinny, and what happens next forms the crux of the story.
Tu Jhoothi Main Makkar, in typical Luv Ranjan style, shows Micky as a more lovable character than Tinny. He is a family-oriented person, while Tinny isn’t. “What will you do if your boyfriend takes you out on a date and it turns out to be a date with his entire family?” is the pressing question this film tries to answer.
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Ranbir Kapoor: The only saving grace
Ranbir Kapoor is probably the only actor who delivers a decent performance—everyone else either has bad lines or is overacting. In fact, Kapoor reminds you of his breakthrough performance as the affable casanova Raj Sharma in Bachna Ae Haseeno (2008) and Kabir Thapar in Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani (2013). Shraddha Kapoor is terrible in the emotional scenes and adds nothing to make you root for her.
Anubhav Singh Bassi must hone his acting skills. He manages to make an impact only when he has a really good dialogue, which is rare. His bromance with Kapoor falls flat for the most part too.
It is the cameos by Kartik Aryan and Nushrat Bharucha that actually add some flavour to this bland film. One feels bad for Dimple Kapadia, who is underutilised as the Punjabi matriarch with more slaps than dialogues in her kitty. Boney Kapoor is completely wasted in his role as Ranbir’s father, with barely three exchanges to his credit.
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It’s so bad, it’s bad
Tu Jhoothi Main Makkar does not fall into the ‘it’s so bad, it’s good’ category—it is plain boring. Most of the action occurs among a distinctly privileged and highly unrelatable set of Delhi-NCR residents who hang out in Gurugram’s Cyber Hub, live in posh flats in Vasant Kunj or have stately family homes in Greater Kailash. Clearly, everyone has unlimited money and no qualms about spending it.
Songs only ruin this insipid film further, coming out of nowhere, like in a 1990s film. Only Samidha Wagnoo’s costumes deserve a special mention because everyone manages to look amazing despite not being entertaining.
The dialogues, too, are basic at best. Moreover, the ‘solution’ offered in the last bit of the film is superficial and elitist. Micky’s family is ultra-progressive and supportive, and of course, a girl’s gotta give in. After all, a female character in a Luv Ranjan movie can never be better than the guy, can she?
The last 20 minutes is where the film becomes enjoyable, with witty dialogues, slapstick comedy and an airport scene. But it is too late by then.
Tinny’s attempt at trying to be her own person and wanting independence may not be painted in a villainous light, but is also most definitely presented as less attractive than the happy-go-lucky man who wants to live with his rich family after marriage. Also, the movie probably would not have existed if Micky and Tinny had better communication, or even trust.
(Edited by Zoya Bhatti)