There are many mysteries in the universe. What happened before the big bang? Why do black holes exist? Why should a 29-year-old man, who’s pretending to be 17, wear clothes that are three sizes small?
Science may still answer the first two, but don’t expect Punit Malhotra-directed Student of the Year 2 (SOTY2) to answer the last.
Flipping the first film’s formula of one female and two male protagonists, SOTY2 has one male and two female protagonists, played by Tiger Shroff, Ananya Pandey and Tara Sutaria.
Tiger Shroff is Rohan, a (very) strapping, middle-class 17-year-old, who wants to get into the elite Saint Teresa High School, where his school sweetheart Mridula (Mia for short and the ‘cool’ factor, played by Tara Sutaria) studies.
With a lot of hard work, he manages to get in with a scholarship, only to be rebuked by her. The story revolves around an annual competition called the ‘Student of the Year’. Rohan unwittingly finds himself up against Manav (Adiyta Seal) and his sister Shreya (Ananya Pandey) in a race to win the trophy. But as is with most competition-based movies, this one too is filled to the brim with complications, obstacles, and betrayals.
The problem with these Step Up-style films is that once you watch the original, all sequels and spin-offs seem tired and contrived. The ‘Student of the Year’ competition has three levels to it, and by the time Tiger Shroff’s Rohan reaches the final level, you are ready to give yourself an award for sitting through the film.
Tiger Shroff delivers his lines with the emotions of a wooden plank. Debutantes Ananya Pandey and Tara Sutaria are reduced to props and show no acting potential.
The film has few bonuses, like watching the lovely Gul Panag on screen after a long time. She supposedly plays a lesbian in the movie, but has just one scene and that too without any dialogues.
Ananya Pandey gets to deliver a few lines about girls and respect, but they just look too cosmetic. Hollywood actor Will Smith has a cameo, which serves as much purpose as Tiger Shroff’s shirt buttons.
The other major bonus is that you get to see two films for the price of one — before interval and after interval. But frankly, neither is worth your time.
The film is stretched, overdramatic, unnecessarily sexualised, and absolutely unrealistic. The Dehradun-based school has random white cheerleaders, and students here have no academic inclinations.
Even Karan Johar’s famous love triangle formula fails to rescue this film.
The only relatable part of the film is when Tiger Shroff’s Rohan regrets getting Mia’s name tattooed on his forearm, after she almost breaks his heart. It’s the same regret you feel for going to this movie thinking it would be any fun.
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