BAREILLY KI BARFI: Fake It Till You Make It:. Review on Bareilly Ki Barfi

BAREILLY KI BARFI: Fake It Till You Make It:

This movie has no connection with either the town Bareli, Raisen, UP, India, or with the movie BARFI(2012). Bareli is best known for its cultivation of wheat, soyabean, and rice or for that iconic Asha Bhosle song ‘Jhumka gira re Bareli ke bazaar mein’(MERA SAAYA, 1966) that Sadhna brought alive on screen.

But I’ve all three – Bluetooth, wisdom tooth, and the sweet tooth. The last one makes me crave for anything sweet and I cam make a meal out of it. So Barfi is fine, although I prefer Gulabjamun and Rasmalai.(OK, now I must put a piece each in my mouth.) Alright, now back to the review.

Before we proceed to this hugely watchable and sparkling romantic comedy, let’s know the background about the book it is based on. In 2012, a French author Nicolas Barreau(37) published his second book THE INGREDIENTS OF LOVE. The book was well received both in France and Germany as well as in Italy. It was then translated in English.

It later came to be known that he was a fictional author and a pseudonym of a highly creative Franco-German author Daniela Thiele(58), who went by other pseudonyms like Rosalie Tavernier, Sophie Scherrer, Trixi von Bülow, too. She was born to a German mother and a French father, and has two sons. She along with her husband Johannes runs a publishing house. The book was first published in German in 2010. Not only Barreau was a pseudonym but even his photo was fictitious.

THE INGREDIENTS OF LOVE has a 30+ restaurateur Aurelie Bredin left stranded by her lover for good for another woman. She reads English author Robert Miller’s book THE SMILES OF WOMEN. She finds it is about her smile and her restaurant Le Temps des Cerises(The time of the cherries). She wants to meet Miller but he doesn’t exist. He is the literary creation of an editor Andy Chabanais.(Remember, Mary Shelley’s FRANKENSTEIN, 1818). The novel is a hit and everyone wants to meet Miller! Now, what would Chabanais do to walk out of this tricky situation of his own making! He ends up faking it till finally he makes it! TIOL reminds of Joanne Harris’s CHOCOLAT(1999).

Now, let’s go to the movie. BKB is not an exact adaptation of the novel TIOL. It has major changes and once you watch the movie after reading the book, you’ll know it very well. The book stands out. But in its small town set-up and local changes, the movie turns out to be house of humor with liberal dose of romance.

Bitti Mishra(Kriti Sanon, 27) has her own ideas of being independent from the social shackles. She smokes, drinks, and makes merry. Her father Narottam(Pankaj Tripathi, 55) is a major hindrance in her liberal views. Her mother Susheela(Seema Bhargava Pahwa, 53) wants her to marry. But Bitti has her own ideas. She wants to break free of rigid matrimony rules. She finds solace in author Pritam Vidrohi’s book BAREILLY KI BARFI. She identifies with the rebel heroine and wishes to meet the author.

Vidrohi in reality is loveless printing press owner Chirag Dubey(Ayushman Khrrana, 32). The real Vidrohi(Rajkumar Rao, 32) is a docile saree salesman, who has no connection with writing. Vidrohi meets Bitti and loses his heart to her. But Dubey is the man in line for Bitti. So, what happens in the end. Will the hero gets his heroine and all’s well that ends well. And this is where a delightful adaptation takes place.

Rajkumar is the lifeline of the movie. He is a chameleon adapting to the frame according to the situation. He definitely has a bright future. Atta boy! Ayushman is staid instead of being spunky. Kriti thinks she’s in New York instead of being a village belle. She needed to adapt to her role.

The parents Seema and Pankaj are a delight to watch. This is where you can almost own the film. This is what you have been waiting for. This is the Indianness that has been missing from the artificial pseudo films of this year. Although in so much fun, songs are not required, still ‘Sweety’ and ‘Twist’ have turned out fine.

This year’s women directors are coming into their own. Alankrita Shrivastava directed LIPSTICK UNDER MY BURKHA that was a hit small film. Director Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari has upped the ante with BKB. She knows what to deliver and does it well.

Last year, the same Friday another sparkling comedy HAPPY BHAG JAYEGI with three suitors had released. This one is no less with two suitors.

The summer was turning out to be a damp squib. Not anymore. With able women, you can never be out of fun. Clean fun, mind you. Head to the nearest cinema playing this delightful fare. You can watch it the second time too. Can’t say when last this year I liked a movie this well.