Review: Despite potential, Hotstar's 'Dum Laga Ke India' seems undercooked
Dum Laga Ke India- Biryani by Kilo (BBK) starring Chef Ranveer Brar was released on Disney+ Hotstar on Wednesday. This four-episodic Aryaman Pathania directorial features Vaani Kapoor, PV Sindhu, Armaan Malik, and Pranitha Shubhash respectively. The peppy visuals and mouthwatering food will definitely salivate, maybe even order some delicacies, but a lackluster script and shoddy dialogues take the enigma away. Here's our review.
Format of the show
Brar travels to four cities and tries their local delicacies and signature dishes. He meets a celebrity who exudes the vibe of that city—Kapoor in Mumbai, PV Sindhu in Hyderabad, Malik in Kolkata, and Shubhash in Bengaluru. He tries BBK's varieties of Biryanis with the guests and each episode ends with presenting the guests with a gift made from recycled BBK handis.
Scintillating visuals and mouthwatering food
From the very first second of each episode, one will be hooked on the stunning visuals of Sea Link in Mumbai, Char Minar in Hyderabad, Howrah Bridge in Kolkata, and Vidhan Soudha in Bengaluru. The drone footage and time-lapses compliment the background score really well and set the tone for this funky, packed episode of binging on amazing food.
Food history and interesting trivia
The series is well-researched and Brar's anecdotes are really mind-boggling. From the history of Pav Bhaji of Mumbai to Rava Idli of Bengaluru, the stories of the magicians who created these dishes are fascinating. He eats at places that have been there for years. The historical facts and trivia make the show engaging and worth watching. Go! Take note and plan for the weekend!
Same old format and same iconic cities given focus
The format of the show and these popular cities are done and dusted. With the advent of social media, viewers are already exposed to such content. To promote a brand, they have cleverly clubbed it with city food and culture but it does not seem to capture the viewers' attention. Choosing other cities and showcasing their culture to mainstream media could have been beneficial.
Brar needs to slow down his pace!
Brar is a charming man and we have seen his acting capabilities in Amazon Prime Video's Modern Love Mumbai but the chef speaks too fast at times making it difficult for the viewers to understand. He seems to be excited (like we all are around food) but needs to tone it a bit down to translate it to the layman viewers.
One-time-watch for food lovers
Dum Laga Ke India is a crisp food and travel show which had the potential to become a better product but got lost somewhere. If you are a foodie or love food history, you will definitely enjoy this one-time-watch series. You can watch it on Disney+ Hotstar and order mouthwatering food to go with the show! Verdict: 3/5 stars.
