Follow us on Twitter | Instagram
Director: Laxman Utekar
Writers: Maitrey Bajpai, Ramiz Ilham Khan
How far would go to avail benefits of a government scheme? Sara Ali Khan and Vicky Kaushal play a much-in-love married couple, Kapil Dubey and Soumya Chawla Dubey, who decide to get a temporary divorce discreetly, so Soumya can be eligible for a house in a government scheme in the romantic comedy movie “Zara Hatke Zara Bachke.” But when their parents discover the divorce papers, the couple’s plan gets a lot more complicated and chaotic than they imagined it to be.
The first half-hour of “Zara Hatke Zara Bachke” comically showcases the perils of living in a joint family, especially the lack of privacy for young couples. Sara Ali Khan and Vicky Kaushal are cute as the small-town middle-class couple Soumya and Kapil. While Soumya is a teacher who desperately wants her own space, away from the taunts of her in-laws, Kapil is a penny-pinching yoga teacher who is quite content with their circumstances but is willing to try every trick in the book to make his wife happy and get her a house. The song “Tere Vaste” in the film perfectly captures Kapil’s love and malleability for the missus.
With a 2-hour and 12-minute runtime, the novelty, comedy, and cuteness of the first half-hour slowly start to fade away as the plot progresses. Despite a solid supporting cast and a funny running gag about a kid constantly catching Kapil and Soumya being affectionate with each other when they are supposed to be pretending to hate each other to get a divorce, “Zara Hatke Zara Bachke” begins to feel unfunny and dragged out.
Vicky Kaushal, who is used to playing the confident small town boy (“The Great Indian Family”), pulls off his role with ease, while Sara Ali Khan tends to be inconsistent in her portrayal of Soumya, however she is adorable in her simpler romantic scenes with her onscreen partner. The cinematography is colorful, and the good kind of chaotic, with believable depictions of middle-class homes, even though sometimes the clothing of the characters feel too costume-y.
The few twists towards the climax were just not in line with the light comedic mood “Zara Hatke Zara Bachke” promises at the beginning, and I found it hard to keep my attention. Some viewers might enjoy the serious turn towards the end, which packs in a predictable message; however, others might find it disappointing. Watch the film if you enjoy family dramas.
You can stream “Zara Hatke Zara Bachke” on Jio Cinema.
Read Next: Manjummel Boys Review – Seamlessly Melds Slice-of-Life Start with Survival Thrills