Director: Nupur Asthana

Cast: Rishi Kapoor, Ayushmann Khurrana, Sonam Kapoor

Cast: 1.5 stars

The domineering father you’ve probably seen this in movies far too many to count. Rishi Kapoor dons the mantle of the Angry Old Man – retired government employee VK Sehgal – hell-bent on making decisions for his daughter Mayera’s (Sonam Kapoor) happiness, whether she likes it or not.

Most obviously, her boyfriend Mohit Chaddha (Ayushmann Khurrana) becomes the target of his ire. The film begins with the yuppie executive learning to drive backwards in his new car, on the day he is due to bag a coveted promotion (which he does). Unfortunately, he is set to go through some pretty serious reverses professionally when his company downsizes by sacking everyone in the marketing division where he works.

It doesn’t bode well for his relationship with Mayera, especially since Mr. Sehgal is already peeved at her choice because Mohit earns less than her. Therefore, she wants him to continue the façade of being employed to keep him in the running as a potential suitor. This leads to a lot of stupidity, hence the title.

At first encounter, Mr. Sehgal seems a dreadfully unreasonable man. His post-retirement restlessness is spent in huffing and puffing at Mohit’s endeavors to please him. Your sympathies are with the lovers till Mohit turns out to be this unreasonable dolt with a testy attitude when it comes to job-hunting.

Then, you begin to pity Mayera for having a stubborn, unyielding, arrogant boyfriend. Just like her stubborn, unyielding, arrogant father. Okay, so maybe she has a type.

 

But then she insists on splurging Rs. 5000 per ticket for a rock concert, lavishing cash on the harried boyfriend, then whining about being unable to buy a new pair of sandals in two months or watching films in a multiplex. Considering that our heroine works at a bank, money matters aren’t up her alley. The brand-dropping throughout the film drives the point home.

Meanwhile, there are poorly placed songs in the film with our attractive leads preening and grooving in vacation spots and nightclubs, while maxing out our jobless hero’s credit cards. This doesn’t help his case. In fact, the second half becomes less about the tyrannical father and more about finding work.

Also, in another plot tangent, Mr. Sehgal wants to take up a job again and enlists Mohit’s help in the search. Odd, since you’d think he had taken a dislike for the lad.

Most of the film is a repetitive loop of the old man (christened ‘Osama’ by the lovebirds) heaping insults on Mohit and Mayera pouring some saccharine love on the wounds. Their repeated assertions of adoration will get to you after a while.

Ayushmann Khurrana needs to break out of that mould of coolness. It’s getting old for someone who promises to be a lot more talented than that. Sonam Kapoor is strictly average. Rishi Kapoor is the real star of the show, but terribly limited by a mediocre script.

 One would have expected more from Nupur Asthana, who had directed the endearing TV series Mahi Way and Mujhse Fraaandship Karoge, a fairly watchable rom-com. Sadly, Bewakoofiyaan is a step downward and backward.

If you do get around to watching it, be rest assured that the chorus of the title track will ring in your ears as you go out of the hall. It is still ringing in mine.