Review : #14Phere : A family wedding drama mired in confusion and chaos!
As the India was gearing up for the Olympics, a screen couple was running from pillar to post for their wedding and ended up having two weddings instead, hence the title ‘14 Phere’. In the new age India there still are pockets in the interiors of the country where dowry, honour killings or even casteism takes precedence when marriage is in question. The film tries to put focus on these drawbacks of the society and makes an effort to offer humour. It’s a clean family film which starts with a promise of wholesome entertainment but falters midway. It’s difficult to digest that two educated youth are ‘Living-in’ despite being aware of their family’s view points on casteism and love marriage.
Sanjay Lal Singh aka Sanju (Vikrant Massey) joins a college in Delhi and crosses path with his senior Aditi Karwasa aka Adu (Kriti Kharbanda). He is a victim of her ragging but is okay with it because he fancies her. Both fall in love, start working for the same firm and start living-in in a plush apartment. Both start getting calls from their respective parents for marriage. Sanju is a Rajput from Bihar while Adu belongs to a Jat family from Rajasthan. Both their parents want each of them to marry in their own caste. Here starts the rollercoaster ride of their lives. They hatch a plan, as Sanju is an actor in a theatre group too, and persuade people to play their family in matchmaking as well their wedding. Theatre artists Amay (Jameel Khan) and Zubina (Gauhar Khan) agree to play both’s parents and all their office colleagues venture out to put the plan in action. But destiny has something different in mind which adds to the confusion and chaos around 7+7=‘14 Pheres’ of Sanjay and Aditi.
14 Phere’s concept is good but it has failed to execute it interestingly. The screenplay is weak which slows the narrative of the film which in turn makes audience to lose interest in it. The writer has failed to come up with catchy phrases or dialogues which is an essential ingredient of a comedy film. The social stigmas and drawbacks are just brushed upon. The comedy of error should have been presented in a refreshing manner but the director takes the cliched route which mars the films’ entertainment value. Most of the time predictable things keep happening which indicates bad scripting. Nevertheless, it’s a clean family entertainer which throws comedic guffaws intermittently. The plus for ‘14 Phere’ is it’s acting department. Jameel Khan, Gauhar Khan and other supporting cast do their job excellently. Kriti Kharbanda look gorgeous especially in a wedding attire and has delivered a decent performance. Vikrant Massey carries this film on his shoulders with his superlative portrayal of Sanju. The layers of his characters are well defined by him and he along with other actors make the film watchable.
All in all ‘14 Phere’ is an okay film and fans of Vikrant Massey and Kriti Kharbanda will definitely like it.
**1/2