'Loveyapa' review: Entertaining, but struggles to offer anything new
What's the story
Loveyapa, starring Khushi Kapoor and Junaid Khan, is a remake of the Tamil film Love Today.
Vibrant, beautifully shot, bustling with energy, and well-acted, Loveyapa ensures that there aren't many dull moments throughout its 138-minute-long runtime.
However, it is largely a scene-to-scene replica of Love Today, which means that if you have already seen the original, there isn't a lot to impress you here.
Story
Mobile phones drive a wedge between a couple
Loveyapa follows Baani (Kapoor) and Gaurav (Khan), a much-in-love young couple considering the next step.
However, Baani's father, played by Ashutosh Rana, asks them to swap their phones for 24 hours, and if they can pass this test, they can get married.
Soon after, secrets come tumbling out of the closet, exposing Baani and Gaurav, and threatening to tear their union apart.
#1
Hardly falters on the entertainment front
Advait Chandan is a deft director.
He beautifully stages scenes, particularly the ones involving Baani and Gaurav's confrontations, and the film remains as strong in emotional scenes as in the humorous ones.
It's also to his and the editing team's credit that although Gaurav-Baani spend so much time apart, we're always invested in their story and even become sympathetic toward them.
#2
Kapoor and Khan shoulder the film well
Both Kapoor and Khan have come a long way from their debut performances in The Archies and Maharaj, respectively, and show immense promise.
Khan took me by surprise in the comic scenes, while Kapoor showed her skills in the emotional ones.
Additionally, though Khan struggled in scenes where he had to portray anger and rage, you can always see him earnestly trying.
#3
How supporting actors help the film
Kiku Sharda has always been a delightful presence in all his projects, and that stands true here too.
Although he is purposely on the sidelines for the most part, he still remains an effortless show-stealer.
Grusha Kapoor, who plays Gaurav's mother, is also a joy to watch and her camaraderie with Khan lights up the frames.
#4
Negatives: Lack of creativity hurts the film's intentions
Chandan takes the same route as the original and doesn't make many striking changes.
Even the gags, conflicts, and dialogues are borrowed as it is, and the film really squanders its potential when it refuses to come out of this comfort zone.
Rowdy Rathore, Drishyam, and Wanted are remakes too, and yet, they work because of how well they're tailored to the target audience.
#5
More on the above aspect
Love Today is a fairly new film and easily accessible online, so Chandan needed to make major tweaks and present a fresh take on the source story, not just reproduce it in another language.
The logical flaws in Love Today have been carried forward in Loveyapa, supporting characters remain underdeveloped, and the resolution, too, is rushed and too convenient.
Verdict
Watch it if you haven't seen 'Love Today'; skip otherwise
While the title track refuses to leave your mind, the film has no other memorable songs, which also hurts it.
However, the Delhi slang has been woven well into the dialogues, and despite its flaws, the film has an irresistible charm.
Haven't watched Love Today? Loveyapa will surprise and entertain you, but if you have, you can safely skip this remake.
2.5/5 stars.