SHIMLA MIRCHI movie review is here. Marking the return of the prolific Ramesh Sippy ( SHOLAY, SEETA AUR GEETA etc), this rom com with a twist stars Hema Malini, Rajkummar Rao and Rakul Preet Singh. Finally seeing the light after a struggle of around five years, SHIMLA MIRCHI is released today – January 03 2019. So how is it?.. Let’s find out in the movie review of SHIMLA MIRCHI.
Immediate reaction when the end credits roll
Some things will never change. Songs popping up from rom com, a sufi Punjabi track in Bollywood, if romance has to bloom, it’s better to zoom at alps, if not Switzerland then Shimla, the ever graceful Hema Malini and whatever dud the prolific Ramesh Sippy makes, our love for SHOLAY will never die.
The Story of SHIMLA MIRCHI
Based on one of world’s best all time classics – THE CYRANO DE BERGERAC the 1990 French comedy-drama film directed by Jean-Paul Rappeneau which was actually based on the 1897 play of the same name by Edmond Rostand, adapted by Jean-Claude Carrière and Rappeneau. THE CYRANO DE BERGERAC starred the legendary French actor Gérard Depardieu in lead along with Anne Brochet and Vincent Pérez.
Ramesh Sippy’s SHIMLA MIRCH is inspired from the basic idea of the play CYRANO DE BERGERAC – A letter with the right emotions reaches to a wrong person.
Separated from her husband for over a year but still waiting and cooking his favourite dishes on his birthday – Rukmini (Hema Malini) is reluctant to sign the divorce papers given by Tilak (Kanwaljit Singh). Rukmini’s daughter Naina (Rakul Preet Singh) doesn,t like her Mom’s so called obsession with the thought that one day Tilak will return to her.
While Nina is struggling between setting up a café of her dreams and Mom’s unrealistic belief that her father will come back to them, Avinash (Rajkummar Rao) gets smitten by Naina. Avinash is a cool dude with one major hiccup, he gets nervous while proposing. A routine family holiday in Shimla for Avinash changes his routine and in order to get friendly with Naina, Avinash takes the job of a helper in Naina’s café and soon becomes her Man Friday.
One day he garners courage to express his feelings towards Naina but in writing. Avinash pens a letter but keeps the identity hidden by calling himself as secret admirer.
Naina uses this letter to cheer her Mom and infuse some life and hope in her by changing only the name. things take a complicated turn when the obsession of Rukmini shifts from her husband to her secret admirer who is much younger than her, making Naina insecure and caging Avinash in an awkward situation.
SHIMLA MIRCHI movie review
SHIMLA MIRCHI had the unique potential to be either a laugh riot or a compatible tale of love and relationships. Looking at the caliber of the prolific Ramesh Sippy who will inspire generations after generations no matter what he makes even after a hiatus of more than two decades thanks to SHOLAY. Ramesh Sippy’s treatment to love triangles like SAAGAR (1985) starring Rishi Kapoor, Dimple Kapadia and Kamal Hassan. Not to forget ANDAZ (1971) starring Shammi Kapoor, Hema Malini and Rajesh Khanna in that iconic ‘Zindagi ek safar hai suhana’ number known for Kishore Kumra’s famous hoodling, made Ramesh Sippy the Ramesh Sippy we all admire.
It’s so unfortunately sad that such a beautiful concept and the beautiful locales of Shimla plus the divine grace of Hema Malini, the range of Rajkummar Rao and the infectious charm of Rakul Preet Singh, could do nothing to save this forced love story to die a premature death.
The screenplay by Ramesh Sippy ( himself – alas), along with Kausar Munir, Rishi Virmani and Vipul Binjola lack the feel, compassion, moments but before that it is unable to define its own genre –what it wants to be… a situational comedy, a mature romcom, a spoof on the status and understanding of relationship in today’s times?!. What?!
The talents of Hema Malini, Rajkummar Rao and Rakul Preet Singh can do nothing to raise a flat script that lacks emotions and conviction and later turns into a spoof of its own that never ends.
Final words
SHIMLA MIRCHI – if all that glitters cannot be gold then how come all that appears beautiful can be lovable as well.
