I’ll admit something, right off the bat, even at the risk of being cursed by y’all – I wasn’t a die-hard fan of Dulquer or cricket before I watched The Zoya Factor.
![](https://wp.scoopwhoop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/5d8487af9d041357ca54ba9f_4b375b66-743a-4dd1-8dfd-56955ceb698c.jpg)
After a 136-minute-long run of watching Dulquer swing a bat with the same effortless grace he uses to bat those brown eyes, I am definitely associating the word dreamy with him. I am still not a fan of cricket though, or of this romantic-comedy that rambles on without making much sense.
![](https://wp.scoopwhoop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/5d8487af9d041357ca54ba9f_314a5edf-b71a-44ca-a710-02d779cd2093.jpg)
Starring Sonam Kapoor and Dulquer Salmaan in the lead roles, The Zoya Factor is based on writer Anuja Chauhan’s debut novel of the same name.
![](https://wp.scoopwhoop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/5d8487af9d041357ca54ba9f_ec3d32ee-f71c-4be7-ba1b-1f2826b51415.jpg)
On an assignment, she meets and falls in love with the captain of the Indian cricket team, Nikhil Khoda (Dulquer) – who has been on a streak of bad luck when it comes to matches.
![](https://wp.scoopwhoop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/5d8487af9d041357ca54ba9f_d2da3b87-270b-4799-a544-e81bab768c62.jpg)
The rest is your classic confusion meets comedy, and after a fair share of typical Bollywood villainry and unnecessarily long runtime, the two leads receive their happy ending. While the supporting cast is decent and one-half of the lead is actually quite captivating, the story isn’t.
![](https://wp.scoopwhoop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/5d8487af9d041357ca54ba9f_a74672a8-c77d-4062-816c-8d563f887afb.jpg)
The novel managed to pack in a few punches while presenting a comparatively fresh, though most definitely Indian-centric take on the classic Mills & Boon romance. However, it was not a new story per se, something that becomes glaringly evident in the movie.
![](https://wp.scoopwhoop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/5d8487af9d041357ca54ba9f_a43ccdb8-47c2-4082-b485-700a0c7968de.jpg)
The movie attempts to present Zoya as the average girl, stuck in a dead-end job, and battling insecurities. And while the creators make a decent attempt, as an average girl, it’s still hard to relate to Sonam’s ‘girl-next-door Zoya’.
![](https://wp.scoopwhoop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/5d8487af9d041357ca54ba9f_9354c07b-8344-424d-90d2-0cef17f758c3.jpg)
However, Dulquer is perfectly cast as the brooding cricket captain, who relies on hard work over superstitions and flirts with the kind of mischievous smile romantic-fiction writers dedicate pages to.
![](https://wp.scoopwhoop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/5d8487af9d041357ca54ba9f_a43ccdb8-47c2-4082-b485-700a0c7968de.jpg)
Despite great chemistry, the story fails to keep our interest alive. The movie simply touches at all the elements but does not develop any of them in-depth.
Yes, it perfectly depicts the craze that cricket is in India. And our reliance on superstition should come as a surprise to nobody.
![](https://wp.scoopwhoop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/5d8487af9d041357ca54ba9f_ef6e7fcb-1ad8-433f-b864-17b6728fea9d.jpg)
But the film feels like a half-hearted attempt at developing a story where we’re already aware of how every ‘meet-cute’, misunderstanding, confusion, and of course, the ending will pan out. It’s not bad ‘luck’ – it just feels like lazy filmmaking and writing.
![](https://wp.scoopwhoop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/5d8487af9d041357ca54ba9f_517aa00c-0508-4f61-8b2a-c150c3e29b0f.jpg)
Though Dulquer’s impassioned dialogues and classic smirks keep you interested, this is one film you forget the moment you move out of the hall – even as it attempts to deliver a message about choosing self-belief over blind luck.
![](https://wp.scoopwhoop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/5d8487af9d041357ca54ba9f_afe361e6-8eaf-430e-b87f-36a5b272fe44.jpg)
I am all for rom-coms and if you absolutely had to while away time, even The Zoya Factor makes for an average viewing. But somehow, whether it’s because of a weak plot, mediocre performances, unconvincing setting, or because of a combination of all three, but this rom-com only feels alive when Dulquer graces the screen.
All images from the trailer on YouTube, unless specified otherwise.