Nadaaniyan set to mark the debut of Ibrahim Ali Khan turns out to be a story about high schoolers and their troubles with love and life. However, the film sets off the story without a theme and attempts to use everything woke all at once, while treating its female character like apologetic pick-me-up girls. The film treats the adult actors as teenagers, but they behave like they are in college and are of age while also looking to get into university abroad. The film seems like it was written for US based audience, but forgets to cater to its own market.
The film begins with Kushi’s self-indulged introduction about her character Pia Jaisingh, but with each line it gets harder to tell if she is talking about her character or herself. The film attempts to create this self-aware humour of their privilege, but it begins to feel more obnoxious with each scene. After a long summer vacation, Pia returns to Delhi’s most privileged school, which has screens in the cafeteria and hallways so the principal can talk to the students. Her friends are upset with her for not showing up at the bonfire before summer and for talking to a guy who is off limits.
One of the bff’s liked the guy for years, and despite Pia confirming that she never spoke to him, the friends are upset with her. In fear of her friends abandoning her, Pia decides to lie to them and claim she already has a boyfriend. But now she has to find a guy that nobody knows before debuting him on her birthday. She is looking for a smart guy, but more importantly has a hot body. Aka cue for Saif Ali Khan’s son Ibrahim Ali Khan. Playing the role of Arjun Mehta, he is set up as an underdog, the athletic, studious type who thinks about the betterment of the world.
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However, she offers him Rs 10k per week to be her boyfriend and he agrees to do it for Rs 25k. The soft launch then takes place on social media, bringing them closer, turning their fights into friendship and then evolving into love. The film focuses on the high school life of the kids, but also the influence of their rich parents, with news outlets dropping photos and the world talking about who was seen with whom. The plot is far from Gossip Girl, but it feels more of a bad version of Riverdale sans the supernatural aspect.
Khushi has been part of several films including The Archies and Loveyapa, but her performance in the film cannot be taken seriously as the character does not have any gravitas or agency. While it is claimed to be a part of her character’s traits, it is often used for the convenience of the sake of the plot. Most of the plot feels forced, and unsalvageable as nobody talks, attempts to have a real conversation or understand each other. The parents in the film, aka Suniel Shetty, Mahim Chaudhary, Dia Mirza, make the most sense, with not just their behaviour and choices but also the worldview.
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The actors give their best with performances, which can be seen during the emotional moments, but the screenplay and the plot failed the film. The film focuses more on making the actors look good, but never explains their emotional or arc changes. It makes the characters feel shallow and their struggles shallower. The film frivolously explores serious themes like patriarchy, family prejudice against a girl child, class divide, friendship and ambition, but with the high school romance at the center of it, the impact is lost.
Overall, Nadaaniyan turns out to an attempt at mix of Student of the Year, Gossip Girl, Riverdale but none of them work.
Cover artwork by Patrick Gawande/Mashable India
