Shirin Farhad Ki Toh Nikal Padi: Movie Review

In the last few years, we have noticed, Bollywood filmmakers are coming up with some unusual love stories, which focusses on the middle-age romances. Bela Sehgal Bhansali's latest release Shirin Farhad Ki Toh Nikal Padi is the repetition of the same unconventional romance that features Boman Irani, Farah Khan and Daisy Irani in the leads. The film takes you to Mumbai's Parsi community, where love blooms between two not-so-perfect people and then it takes you to a "frustrating", crazy ride.

Movie Rating:

Story:

Let us introduce you to the 45-year-old, good-hearted Parsi bachelor Farhad Pastakia (Boman Irani), who works as an honest salesman at a lingerie store. When he gets forced by his family and friends to find any girl and get settled, he comes up with some ridiculous, fairy tale dialogues. Well, Mr Pastakia is a blind believer of LOVE, who would not marry any woman who comes on his way. I mean, a 45-year-old virgin, who has mastered the skill of judging a woman's bra size, just by one glance at her, is not a frustrated soul? By the by, Boman's dream comes true and he falls for 40-year-old Shirin Fuggawala (Farah Khan), the secretary of Parsi Trust, who is more a tomboy and doesn't mind kicking the butts of men. In short, she is just an opposite persona to Boman Irani. Though the duo fall in love, Boman's over-the-top, dominating mother Nargis (Honey Irani) springs up as a hurdle. The entire story takes a turn in the second half after Nargis learns that his son is in love with her sworn enemy.

Boman Irani fights against his family in order to marry his love of life. Several misunderstandings, heartbreaks takes place in the second half, yet things go on and on, making you yawn till the end. Shirin Farhad Ki Toh Nikal Padi marks the directorial debut of Bhansali's sister, Bela Sehgal. We salute the film's director, who tried out something, that is just so unconventional.

Performances:

We must salute the 52-year-old Boman Irani, who dared to take up the challenge to play a young lover at heart, since it is not an easy job. But, the highly versatile Boman Irani, this time, fails to fit into the young lover's character. I'm not saying that Mr Irani delivered a bad acting, but our expectations from him always remain high as he has always done something exceptional and stupendous in all his earlier films like 3 Idiots and Housefull 2. His acting in Shirin Farhad Ki Toh Nikal Padi was average, not up to the mark.

Now talking about Farah Khan's acting, we wonder, who suggested her to try her hand in acting? To make it clear and easy, Farah Khan's performance is weak as she can't match up to the standards of a talented actress. There's no doubt about the fact that a roly poly Farah Khan looks cute, in her shapeless stature, but her acting was too casual to digest for the audience.

The doting Daisy Irani is a sheer delight. She gets her part done absolutely right and does an outstanding job throughout. In one word, this Irani mom is the real show stealer.

Highs: Shirin Farhad Ki Toh Nikal Padi refreshes you with some good music. The film grips you in certain bits and parts. Especially, the scenes where a heart-broken Boman tries to convince Farah, in front of her ailing father, might touch your heart. The film's plot is sweet and simple, but doesn't offer something great, hence wouldn't leave you saying 'WOW.

Verdict: Love is true and pure in this film, but fails to impress us. It's rather a sickening middle-age romance story that delivers nothing except a severe headache.