IMDb tends to be a bit generous, and its close-to-7 rating for Do Deewane Seher Mein somewhat underlines this trend. Please don't assume that I am trying to trash the movie just for the sake of doing it online and gathering some clicks and recommendations. The movie is actually good! That said, it is a bit too long, it tends to meander a bit too much, and in parts, it undid the great impression it created upfront. Both the stars, Siddhant Chaturvedi and Mrunal Thakur, prove that the younger lot in Bollywood can act, though we cannot say the same for some folks belonging to the Pandey lineage. However, Do Deewane Seher Mein could have done a lot better by not trying to explain what it presents as the reasons for childhood trauma. Just imagine this - you start a movie, you start liking it, the first 30 minutes are so good, and then, as you get curious about what is going to happen now, it starts slowing down. The storyline meekly starts revisiting what is troubling our protagonists repeatedly, like a precise clockwork set for every 15 minutes. The direction starts ruining the fun around the 1-hour mark. It is then that you realize a couple of things.
The adorable Mrunal has been utterly wasted in Bollywood, so far. She is borderline Gen Z for me and packs a bit of classical charm. She fits seamlessly into the role. Absolutely no doubt that she was a great pick for the role. Well done to the casting directors. But one aspect where her gorgeousness misfits the role - she suffers from a type of early adulthood trauma about her physical looks and continues to suffer from it despite being a somewhat independent and very opinionated character. I just couldn't relate to her staying fixated on her non-textbook looks when she happens to look so good, so effortlessly on screen. She instantly reminded me of Bhumi Pednekar, who did something similar in Dum Laga Ke Haisha, but was a lot more convincing. How Bhumi plummeted into her ongoing spiral downwards still amazes & shocks me! Coming back to Mrunal, she performs rather well, but our guy, Siddhant Chaturvedi, delivers another espresso-like reminder that he is on the way up. I foresee some really big banners just around the corner for him. The massive upside for the movie is the contemporary storytelling. It blends our professional lives, eating into our peace, the impressions we carry from our childhood, families hurting their members despite their good intentions, and how people can grow up, grow old, and even die with their insecurities. The biggest downside is the Director repeatedly going back, revisiting these themes even when the storyline could have been better served with a quick closure. The Mumbai property on view has the old-world vibes, and the rented apartment has the typical cosmopolitan appeal. Some other misses, too, like Ila Arun being wasted. I have always wondered why she does not act more and seems to be missing from all the OTT content, but this is not the appearance I would have wanted. Utterly wasted!
Is the title relatable to the story? Not that much. Not that it matters, but no!
The biggest reason to watch: the urban storytelling that captures our inner conflicts
The biggest miss: the urban storytelling that forgets how to move ahead
The cast: just about perfect
Does Mrunal Thakur impress? Yes!
Does Siddhant Chaturvedi impress? Yes!
The songs? None that make you hum or search on Spotify
Progressive or regressive? Hard to categorize. It is a decently told, urban story
Tries too desperately or moves along naturally? More of the latter
The first one hour? Really good. The last 40 minutes? Gasping for air
Will you be adding it to your Netflix library? I doubt
Can you be gone for popping popcorn while watching it? After the first hour, do it...
