Packed with delicious one-liners, smart writing and credible performances, not from just the main trio but the supporting cast as well, Bareilly ki Barfi is one of those particularly flavorful sweets that might come in a plainly wrapped package of no big stars or a known director, but one that hides a delicious treat inside.
I think with the movie offerings we've seen off late - whether its the Dulhania variety or may be the Hello Zindagi selection, we are particular starved of one that made us truly and genuinely laugh. Not slapstick, in your face stuff. Just simple, intelligent humor through the narrative, dialogues and the quirkiness of its characters. Last I can recollect that happening was the first half of Raanjhanaa or Vicky Donor.
The biggest disservice to this movie is actually its trailer which gives away most if not all of what you can expect from a storyline and plot build up perspective including a few of the good one-liners. You don't want to sample this treat ahead of ordering the full box - trust me on that.
There is also the fine garnish of the narration which while told in a rustic tone, has its own share of engaging lines and you look forward to more of that strewn across the movie runtime. The songs are there, but they aren't distracting or painfully long. Its more like they get you to pause and savor the flavours so far to get you primed for more.
Its not all just sweet - there are some bittersweet moments that are well executed and the movie also makes an understated commentary on some social issues. There is a beautiful father daughter relationship, the inner turmoil of a builled young man, the blind selfishness of a jilted lover that barely come to the fore, but are yet mixed in there somewhere with the rest of the tasty ingredients.Not all of it tastes equally well though. There is the particularly bitten almond that is the climax of the movie that woefully falls short and completely ruins all the flavors that were melding together so well earlier so much so that you wonder if the barfi really was that tasty in the first place.
One of the main elements of this recipe are its actors - both the leads as well as supporting cast deserve a mention here. Ayushmann Khurana does justice to his character while Kriti Sanon is full of energy and effervescent true to her character of Bitti. Seema Pahwa and Pankaj Tripathi play the supporting act as Bitti's parents but bring out their individual characters really well. However, the biggest praise should undoubtedly be reserved for Rajkummar Rao. If this is a barfi, then he is the khoya that makes the movie delicious and gets you craving to sample more. His dual act, if we can call it that, is so perfect, you won't want to miss a single dialogue, mannerism or response from him.
Bareilly ki Barfi then is packed with all the ingredients that make it a tasty treat. While such a barfi would be typically be heavy on the stomach, this one gets lighter and more fun with every ingredient - go and sample it for yourself.
