'Pyaar Ka Punchnama' stands up for the MCPs... in vain

Film: Pyaar Ka Punchnama (U/A)

Cast: Kartikeya Tiwari, Rayo Bhakhirta, Divyendu Sharma, Sonalli Sehgal, Nushrat Bharucha, Ishita Sharma

Director: Luv Rangan

Rating: ***

So here is a mooh tod jawab to the boy-bashing in Luv Ka The End. Pyaar Ka Punchnama (PKP) seems like a fitting reply by director Luv Rangan (notice the first name?) to LKTE.

This is the kind of film every guy will swear by while no gal will admit to being like any of the women in the film. It also shakes awake the ghost of the Madhur Bhandarkar directed Dil Toh Baccha Hai Ji (released in January this year).

This relationship comedy revolves around three roommates and friends Vikrant (Bhakhirta), Rajat (Tiwari) and Nishant (Sharma). The film has all kinds of girlfriends: Neha (Bharucha), the possessive, demanding one; Charul (Ishita), the materialistic, uncaring one; and Rhea (Sehgal), the flirty, seductive one.

All the characters (read: women) come with a truckload of baggage, loading and unloading it on the weak shoulders of the bechara guys, almost always casualties of the whims of the women. The film has its moments, most enjoyable, some bland. The almost 5-odd minute monologue by Rajat is probably the best, a voice to every man's problem with women.

None of the dialogues is particularly memorable, but they add to the not-so-cheerful journey of the men from being single to in-a-relationship-to single to… never mind. The music adds to the many humorous moments, the Kutta song being the best with its catchy beats.

Actors Tiwari, Bhakhirta, and Divyendu are at ease, waving the MCP flag high. Almost always portrayed as ‘victims’, all three are a real delight to watch, Divyendu being the best of the lot. The women in PKP only complain and complain some more. In between, they love, cheat, seduce and move on just as easily.

Boys, watch this with your guy friends and count the number of times you exchange sahi hai. You are bound to find many moments, most of them in Tiwari’s monologue. But if you are a woman, take the cheap jokes sportingly. You just know you are too awesome for it to affect you.

The only problem with PKP is its running time. The second half seems never-ending, sappy and pleading for sympathy. The MCPs probably don’t realise that women don’t think much of them and PKP won’t do much to change that. (Now you know this review is written by a woman.)