Director: Nikhil Advani
Cast: Kangana Ranaut, Imran Khan
Katti Batti is almost a cute love story. Kangana looks great and Imran looks cute. They go to the same college, where they meet, and fall in love. They fight, break up and then get back and start living together. And then they break up again. This second falling apart is where the movie starts, with some dizzying camera work.
A depressed and haggard Madhav (Imran) can’t seem to get over how and why did Payal (Kangana) get up and walk away. For most part of the movie the director takes you back and forth between present and past to keep tying the ends as he attempts to build it up towards the end. He does manage to execute the end well. If you are someone who cries easily, or has had a tough love life, you might want to keep a few tissues handy. However, a good part of the movie i.e. nearly an hour-and-half constitutes of some laughs, a few silly moments, unnecessary songs combined to portray the initial years of a relationship.
It could have been better. Like the end, the entire movie could have, rather should have been a bit more deeper. A couple of stereotypes are in place: south-Indian boss with an overtly done funny accent, sexist statements made by Madhav’s best-friend in the passing as a part of moving-on advice. One sequence, that shows them perform a mock play, is quite shoddy. I think the director intended to make a movie about how a real relationship looks like, but got waylaid. The intent comes through, though.
Apart from the teary end, the only point where the movie hits a real chord is the exchange Madhav and Payal have in the car while they head to the airport. That is where you see both the actors transcend the mundane trudging.
Kangana is a better actor, and this is certainly not her best work. Imran needs to stop sounding like he is reading off the script. Watch Katti Batti if you are a sucker for everything romantic. The ending does leave you contemplating about life and love, for a few moments.
(Any opinions expressed here are those of the author and not necessarily of ScoopWhoop)