Director: Laxman Utekar
Writers: Laxman Utekar, Maitrey Bajpai, Ramiz Ilham Khan
Cast: Vicky Kaushal, Sara Ali Khan, Inaamulhaq, Sharib Hashmi, Neeraj Sood, Rakesh Bedi
The movie Zara Hatke Zara Bachke fails to deliver on its promises of providing a delightful blend of romance and comedy. Despite its catchy title, the film falls flat in both aspects, leaving the audience disappointed.
After enduring 132 minutes of Zara Hatke Zara Bachke, it remains unclear why the film bears such a title. There is nothing unique or unconventional about it, so let’s address that upfront. The title is derived from the timeless Mohammed Rafi-Geeta Dutt song “Yeh hi Bombay meri jaan,” linking the film to the idea of Mumbai’s perpetual housing crisis, albeit indirectly.
However, Zara Hatke Zara Bachke is set in the cramped and bustling city of Indore, providing ample space (pun intended) for the filmmakers to squeeze in every small-town, middle-class cliché known to cinema. The story revolves around Vicky Kaushal and Sara Ali Khan, who portray a young married couple struggling with a lack of privacy due to their joint family. The arrival of unwanted relatives forces them to abandon their bedroom and settle for the living room floor, igniting their desire to purchase their own home.
But as is often the case, things are easier said than done. Kapil (Vicky), a yoga instructor, and Somya (Sara), a teacher, stumble upon a common solution employed by many Indian middle-class individuals — jugaad, with a generous dose of deception. They discover that the only way to live together under one roof is to obtain a divorce on paper, allowing them to take advantage of a government housing scheme with its intricate terms and conditions. Yet, once again, reality proves more challenging than their initial plan, and the couple (as well as the film) encounters numerous obstacles on their quest for “yeh tera ghar yeh mera ghar” (this is your home, this is my home).
The premise of Zara Hatke Zara Bachke feels like a rehash of Love Per Square Foot, albeit with a reversal of roles. The 2018 film, also starring Vicky, revolved around two individuals pretending to be married in order to purchase a home. Laxman Utekar, the director of Zara Hatke Zara Bachke, previously explored the theme of two people living together under the pretense of marriage to please their respective families in his debut film, Luka Chuppi. These films all seem to exist within the same universe, leaving little room for fresh ideas.
In fact, Zara Hatke Zara Bachke operates in such familiar territory that one expects Sheeba Chaddha or Manoj Pahwa — the stalwarts of Bollywood’s mid-budget slice-of-life films — to appear at any moment. The concept and execution of this film have been seen on our screens far too many times, with filmmakers of this generation attempting to repackage the cinema of Basu Chatterjee and Hrishikesh Mukherjee, but falling considerably short.
Zara Hatke Zara Bachke is not entirely unwatchable, but it offers nothing that sustains interest beyond a certain point. The songs feel derivative, and each scene feels like it could be extracted and placed in another, possibly better, film. The last 20 minutes devolve into generic melodrama, a fallback for Hindi cinema when it has little else to offer. The comedy relies too heavily on physical gags, accompanied by a manipulative background score that becomes grating from the start.
To give credit where it’s due, Vicky and Sara manage to generate some charming chemistry. Vicky, as expected, delivers a solid performance, effortlessly slipping into the role of a penny-pinching small-town character with a good heart. Sara handles the boisterous aspects well, but her acting stumbles dangerously close to Love Aaj Kal territory when it comes to amplifying the drama.
In conclusion, Zara Hatke Zara Bachke disappoints as a romantic comedy. It lacks both romance and comedy, leaving the audience unsatisfied. Despite the potential of its concept and talented cast, the film fails to deliver an entertaining and engaging experience.