ROMCOM: Kangana Ranaut (Tanu), R. Madhavan (Manu) and Kangana Ranaut (Kusum). ROMCOM: Kangana Ranaut (Tanu), R. Madhavan (Manu) and Kangana Ranaut (Kusum).
Director Aanand L. Rai returns with the sequel to his romantic comedy Tanu Weds Manu which was a sleeper hit in 2011. Once again it’s his star Kangana Ranuat who rises above the hit and miss screenplay to deliver two amazing performances in a double role.
In the original, Tanu married Manu despite their differences and that too after a madcap scenario which included a jilted lover, Manu’s confusion and the tribulations of an arranged marriage. The sequel picks up four years later with Tanu having settled with her doctor husband in London. However, there is trouble in paradise as they appear to be headed for divorce. Tanu has her husband committed to an asylum and heads back to her family home in Kanpur. She is bent on reliving her days as a hell raiser much to the chagrin of her parents. Manu, on being released, heads to his parents’ home in Delhi contemplating a future without his wife. While delivering a lecture at a university he sees Kusum, who is a dead ringer for his wife. He becomes besotted. Kusum is concerned by this stalker, but when he reveals the reason for his behaviour she relents.
The film has some strong moments and delivers in typical Bollywood melodrama fashion, but it could have offered so much more. Rai and his screenwriter Himanshu Sharma don’t delve into the reasons for the breakdown of the marriage.
All the performances are good, with R Madhavan suitably solemn and confused as Manu. Deepak Dobriyal as Pappi provides a great deal of laughs. But the standout performances come from Ranaut who plays two completely different characters. She does an amazing job and is believable as both Tanu and Kusum, especially in the climax.
The film is worth seeing for Ranaut’s talents alone.