Atrangi Re- not your everyday love story

 I watched Atrangi Re to relive the magic that Dhanush, Rahman and Aanand Rai created in Raanjhana and I must admit I loved the movie. The movie has received mixed responses so far but has clocked in a record number of viewers since its release on Disney Plus Hotstar. Although there are a fair number of reasons to criticise the movie, I believe the good parts have totally outshone all its flaws.

Atrangi Re is the story of a small-town Bihar girl Rinku (Sara Ali Khan) who is forcefully wedded to a Tamil brahmin Vishu (Dhanush) so that her elders can get rid of her at the earliest. Rinku is a fierce, independent and chirpy girl who has already eloped several times in the past with Sajjad Ali Khan (Akshay Kumar), a performing artist who's always travelling the world but arrives whenever Rinku needs him. Vishu is a medical student who's already engaged to a girl back in his hometown. The wedding goes for a toss when the in-laws learn of his previous marriage and its aftermath forms the rest of this film. The film takes up several social issues like groom kidnapping, schizophrenia and the trauma it leaves. The writers could have handled the subject of mental trauma more maturely by writing dialogues that did not belittle the mental condition of such victims. But ultimately, it can be argued that it is a movie centred on love, loss and not a documentary on mental health as harsh critics continue to find more flaws in its execution. This film requires you to throw off your scientific guard and appreciate its honesty in trying to present the magic of love and relationships. It defies logic and science more often than not thanks to the quirky storyline.

On the positive side, the cinematography by Pankaj Kumar (of Tumbbad fame) is a visual treat with beautiful colour tones that match the mood of each scene. The writers deserve applause for letting Dhanush deliver the most important lines of the movie- where he confesses his love to Rinku in Tamil and proves that love is enough to understand one another. The entire cast- Ashish Verma as Dr Madhusudan, Seema Biswas as the tyrant grandmother, Akshay Kumar as Sajjad and the lead pair of Sara and Dhanush are convincing in their roles. Although I personally feel Rinku should have been played by a more experienced actor, Sara delivers her best performance so far and the final scene is a testament to the fact that she has given it her all to look and play Rinku as a relatable character. The best performance for me however is by Dhanush, who outshines the rest of the cast because of the way his character was written. Aanand Rai's movies have always fascinated me and this one is no different. It was an immersive experience lifted to another level by Rahman's music and Irshad Kamil's lyrics. Each song is a musical delight and the background music incorporated throughout the movie puts soul into the movie.

The movie is available on Disney Hotstar and is rated 6.8 on IMDb. I'd definitely recommend this movie for Dhanush's acting, Aanand Rai's effort to bring magic on the screen and the icing on the cake being Rahman's music.