Love In Nepal Movie Review

 Making a whodunit is a Herculean task indeed. Besides a taut script that ought to keep the interest of the viewer alive till the finale, the execution of the script should be exhilarating as well.

T.P. Aggarwal’s LOVE IN NEPAL, directed by Rajat Mukherjee, is modelled on the lines of Vijay Anand’s mystery saga TEESRI MANZIL [Shammi Kapoor, Asha Parekh, Prem Nath]. While TEESRI MANZIL had a gripping script as its USP, LOVE IN NEPAL suffers in this very department.

LOVE IN NEPAL starts off well, but loses steam midway and by the time it reaches its finale – the moment the intentions of the killer are revealed – the film loses the fizz completely.

Abby [Sonu Nigam] is the wild and wacky creative head of an advertising agency called Madness. A compulsive flirt, he has a unique style of functioning.

His way of functioning is threatened when Maxi [Fllora Saini] joins as the Vice President – Operations after the takeover of the agency by a multi-national entity.

Maxi hates Abby’s attitude and is hell bent on teaching him a lesson. This sparks off a series of episodes of one-upmanship between the two.

The rivalry extends to Nepal, where they go to shoot an ad film, little knowing that their lives are going to change forever. Abby’s undisciplined behaviour starts acting as a catalyst for Maxi, who gets attracted to him gradually.

All of a sudden, events take a turn whereby these adversaries are forced to go on the run from literally everyone in sight in Nepal. Will Abby and Maxi be able to figure out these unexpected new events?

The story starts off well and the initial portions [shot on Sonu Nigam, Fllora] have their share of some enjoyable moments. The moment Jharna is murdered, you expect the screenplay to change into an edge-of-the-seat thriller. But nothing really happens…

The problem with LOVE IN NEPAL is that the post-murder sequences, which should’ve kept the viewer on tenterhooks, fall flat because the writer [Sameer Aroraa] has woven humour in the narrative, which takes the seriousness away from the story.

Even the pre-climax – when Sonu and Fllora take refuge in a secluded bungalow and the villains’ henchmen reach there – are treated most childishly. The ploys the duo use to scare the henchmen look weird; in fact they’re straight out of 1970s cinema.

The climax is a major letdown. The identity of the killer does come as a surprise, but the motive behind committing the murder looks silly and least convincing. Even the culmination to the story, when Sonu and Fllora’s friends suddenly reach the venue, looks like a hurried job.

 Director Rajat Mukherjee seems comfortable in a genre that demands intense moments, but is handicapped by a weak script. The screenplay is the biggest drawback of the enterprise.

LOVE IN NEPAL does boast of a couple of melodious compositions by Nikhil-Vinay. ‘Ek Anjaan Ladki Se’ and ‘Bolo Kya Khayal Hai’ are the pick of the lot. Cinematography [Madhusudhan Shi] is alright, though the cinematographer hasn’t done complete justice to the eye-catching locales of Nepal.

LOVE IN NEPAL should prove to be a turning point in Sonu Nigam’s career. The talented singer, who seemed uncomfortable in JAANI DUSHMAN and KASH... AAP HAMARE HOTE, delivers a performance that has life. A competent actor, Sonu’s acting abilities come to the fore this time around.

Fllora exudes confidence and enacts her part with utmost conviction. If given the right roles, she should make a mark for herself. Rajpal Yadav carries off his part with maturity, despite a sketchy character.

Sweta Keswani is extremely confident. Ganesh Yadav tends to get loud. Vijay Raaz is wasted. Jharna Bajracharya’s skin show holds appeal for the front-benchers. Raj Zutshi and Ehsaan Khan are adequate.

On the whole, LOVE IN NEPAL is weak in merits. Lack of hype and face-value will only add to its woes.