PEHLA PYAAR DOOSRI BAAR is a breezy romantic entertainer

Pehla Pyaar Doosri Baar Review {2.5/5} & Review Rating

Director: Anuj Saini

Pehla Pyaar Doosri Baar Movie Review Synopsis:
PEHLA PYAAR DOOSRI BAAR is the story of three friends. Gautam Govind Sharma (Sparsh Walia), Vedant Rawat (Kunal Vaid) and Shivi Pradhan (Sargun Kaur Luthra) share a flat in Delhi-NCR. They studied in the same school and now work in the same company, Cyber Nexus. All three are single and unhappy with their jobs. A reunion of their school batch is planned in Mussoorie, and they are invited. Initially, they decline the invitation but change their minds when they learn that their respective school crushes will also be attending. Gautam has a crush on Gehna Gundecha (Alisha Chopra), Vedant has the hots for Simran Sandhu (Sakshi Vaidya), while Shivi is besotted with Karan Shergill (Tushar Chhibber). Hence, they decide to attend the reunion. However, things don’t go as planned. What happens next forms the rest of the film.

Pehla Pyaar Doosri Baar Movie Story Review:
Luv Ranjan’s story is not novel but has its share of lovely moments. Luv Ranjan, Jehan Handa and Anuj Saini’s screenplay is breezy and peppered with some hilarious moments. However, the writing falters at several places. Luv Ranjan, Jehan Handa and Anuj Saini’s dialogues are one of the USPs of the film.

Anuj Saini’s direction is simplistic but effective. He ensures that the characters, their backgrounds and their reasons for attending the reunion are properly established. The characters of their respective love interests are also well etched out. All three romantic tracks are distinct and have their share of interesting moments. The film takes an unexpected turn in the second half, when several developments unfold. Since these twists haven’t been revealed in the trailers, they come as a surprise and add to the fun.

On the flipside, a few sequences are illogical and even problematic. Vedant insults Simran, and one expects him to apologise for using certain harsh words. However, no such apology is forthcoming, and Simran forgives him rather easily. Certain developments also occur too suddenly. Gehna’s over-possessiveness is not convincingly established. As a result, some viewers might wonder why Gautam is put off by her behaviour, especially since he attends the reunion with the intention of wooing her. A scene involving two men kissing seems forced and appears to have been included merely for shock value. Though it might evoke laughter, it also comes across as unnecessary. Lastly, the limited buzz surrounding the film is another major drawback.

Pehla Pyaar Doosri Baar Movie Review Performances:
All six newcomers – Sparsh Walia, Kunal Vaid, Sargun Kaur Luthra, Alisha Chopra, Sakshi Vaidya and Tushar Chhibber – perform ably as per the requirements of their respective roles. They tend to go overboard in a few scenes, but overall, their performances are likeable. They are also presented stylishly and in an appealing manner. The actors playing the younger versions of Gautam and Vedant, however, end up hamming. Gobind Singh Mehta (Vikesh) is okay. Rishabh Dev Singh (KB) and Ishika Jaiwani (Kanupriya; Miss Jammu) lend able support. Lastly, Rajkummar Rao is too good in a special appearance.

Pehla Pyaar Doosri Baar movie music and other technical aspects:
Rochak Kohli’s music is impressive, especially when experienced in the context of the film. ‘Zulmi’ is catchy, particularly its theme. ‘Kamaal’ comes next, and its choreography is appealing. ‘Purane Din’, ‘Jaane Kis Mod Pe’ and ‘Pyaar Manga Hai Tumhi Se’ are functional. Hitesh Sonik’s background score is in sync with the film’s mood. Interestingly, each of the three love stories has a distinct musical theme.

Vidushi Tiwari’s cinematography is decent, and the lensing ensures that the film never resembles a tourism video despite its picturesque setting. Amit Ray and Subrata Chakraborty’s production design is appealing. Natasha Vohra Saini’s costumes are stylish and attractive. Manann Sagar’s editing is breezy.

Pehla Pyaar Doosri Baar Movie Review Conclusion:
On the whole, PEHLA PYAAR DOOSRI BAAR is a breezy romantic entertainer that benefits from its youthful appeal, amusing dialogues, likeable performances and unexpected developments in the second half. Sadly, the film suffers from negligible awareness due to limited promotions and, as a result, may go unnoticed. Interestingly, the film is in the same zone as PYAAR KA PUNCHNAMA, and had it been released as PYAAR KA PUNCHNAMA 3, it would have stood a much better chance of succeeding at the ticket window.