Review: 'Diary of a Butterfly'

Film: Diary of a Butterfly
Cast: Udita Goswami, Rati Agnihotri, Harsh Chhaya and others
Director: Vinod Mukhi
Rating: ½

Diary of a Butterfly didn’t seem completely devoid of potential. The plot is a cliché, yes, but even the most unoriginal storyline can be turned into something interesting if treated with respect. This one however…

Plot out of the way first: The film revolves around Gul (Udita Goswami) who has come from Jaipur to Mumbai to make it big in the fashion industry. Gul’s hunger for success and complete disregard for personal ties serve her well professionally but in her madness to get to the top she ends up destroying all her personal relationships and loses any moral integrity she had. She tries at some point to apologise to her friends and make good but after getting snubbed she gives up trying and goes back to her selfish little world.  How does a diary feature in this?  She records her life’s events and experiences in a red diary on her mother’s (Rati Agnihotri) advice and request.

Now, this is what is supposed to happen in the film. What actually happens is a sleaze fest.

Diary of a Butterfly seems to be based on 2 things: 1. Udita Goswami, 2. Udita Goswami’s body.

There are countless shots of Goswami and her friends in the pool, in bikinis, in the shower, in the hot tub, in tiny dresses. Goswami dancing with a well-endowed Sofia Hayat who plays her friend Carol to the song ‘We don’t need boys’  just seems like a big lesbian build up.  After a point you just want to yell, “Either make out and get on with it or put some clothes on!”

The film should not have been titled Diary of a Butterfly. The diary hardly features in the film and Gul being referred to as a butterfly is based on this one dialogue uttered by a bunch of men smoking cigarettes, “Iska naam gul nahi butterfly hona chahiye tha (fake laughter)” alluding to her tendency of jumping from one man to another. 

Bad performances coupled with nonsensical dialogues make Diary of a Butterfly a painful experience. You will be better engaged sitting and staring at a wall. Skip skip skip!

Things to look out for:

1.  A painfully long and pointless love scene (look out!  so you know when to close your eyes)

2.  A remote controlled toilet flush (that’s probably the most exciting thing in the film)