'Chandigarh Kare Aashiqui' review: Vaani Kapoor outshines Ayushmann Khurrana in the romantic-comedy-drama

Cast: Ayushmann Khurrana, Vaani Kapoor, Kanwaljit Singh, and others 

Director: Abhishek Kapoor

Where To Watch: In cinemas 

Duration: 117 Mins (1 hour 57 minutes)

Rating: 3 1/2 Stars

Synopsis: An aspiring bodybuilder Manu Munjal falls in love with a Zumba instructor Maanvi Brar. However, Manu's world goes topsy-turvy when Maanvi confesses to him that she's not the 'perfect girl' he thinks. 

'Chandigarh Kare Aashiqui' movie review

Bollywood has seen the scathing representation of the LGBTQ community in comedy films. We have flicks that have demeaned the community, served with cliche gay jokes, layered with irritating background scores, and over-the-top acting by artists. Thankfully, 'Chandigarh Kare Aashiqui' is far away from all these precedents and it strikes a balance between entertainment and enlightenment. 

The plot of the film revolves around the lives of Manvinder Munjal (Ayushmann Khurrana), and Manvi Brar (Vaani Kapoor). Manvinder aka Manu is a 32-year-old aspiring bodybuilder, who owns a gym, Jatts Flex It, with his two friends cum business partners. He aims to win the annual bodybuilding championship and runs far away from getting settled. His family pressurises him to find a suitable girl for marriage but he wishes to become Chandigarh's Hercules. However, his life goes for a toss as Maanvi Brar (Vaani Kapoor), a certified Zumba teacher enters into his life, and gym to conduct Zumba sessions. They meet, get attracted to each other, develop closeness, and it leads to intimacy. Manu feels that finally, he has found his match, but then Maanvi reveals her past, her struggle, and that's where all hell breaks loose. Manu feels cheated, disgusted by Maanvi, and he disowns her. What happens next? Why does Manu push Maanvi away? Now that's something you should experience in cinemas. 

Talking about performances, Ayushmann Khurrana has proved again that when it comes to light-hearted, content-driven cinema he's the safest bet. After 'Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavadhan' (2020), this is Khurrana's second film, dealing with the sensitive subject of LGBTQ. Hands down to his physical transformation, he looks the perfect Gabru jawan with a chiselled body and toned abs. The first frame of the film establishes Manu as a beast, as he does heavy barrel lifts, and his pitch-perfect Punjabi accent works as an add-on to his character. Manu faces various issues in his life, he chooses to become a bodybuilder as he was bullied at a young age. He suffers from conservative thinking and is ignorant about LGBTQ. He is unclear about his decisions, and Ayushmann depicted these characteristics perfectly on screen. 

However, this time it's not Ayushmann but his co-star, Vaani Kapoor, who will take away applause and praises. CKA will be a milestone in her career, as every other film before this, had not given her enough scope to showcase her mettle. Kapoor has emoted pain through her eyes, her struggle to strive in the stereotypical world, her complexities, her heartbreaks, and rejections will touch you. There is a scene in the film, where Maanvi and Manu share a private moment, and after that Maanvi says 'thank you' to Manu, this demonstrates her quest of being happy, of being alive and loved. During her big revelation, Maanvi confesses in a shivering voice with a lump in the throat, and that's where you feel bad for her. Maanvi implores her mother to accept her as she is, and you will almost feel teary-eyed. Post-Interval, Maanvi grows up strong, and her confrontational scenes with Ayushmann are among the best moments of the film.       

Apart from Khurrana and Kapoor, veteran actor Aanjjan Srivastav, Girish Dhamija and Tanya Abrol as Manu's family members give you enough laughing moments. Karishma Singh, as Maanvi's friend and Kanwaljit Singh as Maanvi's father, leaves a lasting impression. 

When it comes to direction, Abhishek Kapoor who is known for his romantic-drama 'Kedarnath' (2019), 'Kai Po Che' (2013) has maintained a clean, no-nonsense narration. He has balanced the sensitivity of the story and kept it engaging with constant humour. Special mention goes to the tight screenplay, written by Abhishek, Supratik Sen, and Tushar Paranjpe. The script thoroughly engages us with dramatic situations and intense moments. The dialogues are another strong point of the film. 

The music by Sachin-Jigar is a valuable factor for the film. Every song either pushes the narrative ahead or convey the emotions of the characters and situations pleasingly.  

However, there are a few shortcomings too. The first half of the film is more enjoyable and the drama overshadows humour in the second half.  The film also suffers from a predictable climax. The last 15 minutes is all about Manu achieving his dream, but he's lost and demoralised. You can guess what will happen next. The flick clarifies that 'Normal kya hai? Normal nazariya hona chaiye,' but the movie ends in a rush, and we still expect that there should be a little more about gender equality. 

Overall Verdict: 'Chandigarh Kare Aashiqui' is worth watching, as it highlights a burning topic in an informative and entertaining manner.