'Yaariyan 2' review: Not great but sweet, simple, engaging enough
Director duo Radhika Rao and Vinay Sapru's Yaariyan 2 is a Hindi remake of 2014's Bangalore Days. The film revolves around three cousins, their bonds, and their flawed personal lives. Even with its imperfection, Yaariyan 2 is a sweet surprise that has its moments and can make you weep too. It's a film for those who enjoy watching tales of friendship, love, and heartbreaks.
An endearing story about cousins and their bond
The three cousins, Laadli (Divya Khosla Kumar), Shikhar (Meezaan Jafri), and Bajju (Pearl V Puri), move from Shimla to Mumbai. While Bajju is working in Mumbai, Laadli moves in after marrying Abhay (Yash Dasgupta), and Shikhar comes after he's banned for a year from dirt bike racing. When their relationships go for a toss, the trio sticks with each other and fights the mess.
It treats you with honest performances
Whether it's Khosla Kumar as blingy but sensitive Laadli, Jafri as the brooding Shikhar, or Puri as a naive Bajju, the cast has done a decent job. Khosla Kumar is far better in the second half but it's Dasgupta who takes away the cake. He barely has a few lines to say, yet he outperforms the rest just with his expressions.
Music is the winner here
The heart and soul of Yaariyan 2 lies in its music. From peppy numbers like Saure Ghar and Suit Patiala to soothing songs such as Arijit Singh's Oonchi Oonchi Deewarein and Sachet Tandon's Simroon Tera Naam, the album has a song for every situation. In fact, more than the cousins' bond and love stories, you'll enjoy the music.
It gets better in the second half
The cousins' bond will make you laugh on occasion, but there are also moments when it'll make you cry, as the film picks up pace after the interval. The story that focuses on Laadli and Abhay's marriage on the brink of breaking, Laadli's return to Mumbai, and Abhay's past, are possibly the best written and acted scenes. Khosla Kumar has improved as an actor.
Not the film debut that Puri deserved
Though Puri is cast as one of the three lead actors, he is barely there in the movie. In fact, he disappears in the second half, and returns for only a few scenes. Compared to Laadli and Shikhar's tales, it seemed no weightage was given to narrate Bajju's story. Separately, Shikhar's bike race toward the climax was filmed well cinematographically but was overly dramatized.
It's flawed yet wholesome
It's a remake of Bangalore Days, but the director-duo should have brought some freshness to the script, instead of serving the exact same platter. Actors Anaswara Rajan, Warina Hussain, and Priya Prakash Warrier don't get enough to play with. A coming-of-age romantic comedy-drama, it's imperfect but also has its positives, proving to be a safe standalone sequel to Yaariyan. Verdict: 2.5/5 stars.
