Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety, the Bollywood story of ‘bromance versus romance’ has been a hit not only in India but in Pakistan as well.

The comedy of the sexes makes for a laughter-filled two hours that follow Sonu (Kartik Aaryan), Titu (Sunny Nijar) and Sweety (Nushrat Bharucha) in a love triangle with a twist.

Sonu and Titu are childhood friends who are more like brothers, and Sonu was raised by Titu’s family after he lost his mother at a young age. The characters’ easy camaraderie is portrayed well by Aaryan and Nijar throughout the film, which initially depicts Titu as an easily manipulated man when it comes to relationships.

After his latest heartbreak Titu agrees to an arranged marriage to Sweety, a fierce manipulator who portrays herself as the ideal homemaker. Sonu finds Sweety suspicious and attempts to disrupt their engagement, and Sweety challenges him to prove to Titu and her would be in-laws that she isn’t perfect; their tug-of-war continues until the end of the film.

Aaryan, Nijar and Bharucha are not new to the film industry, and in fact, the trio have worked together in the past under the same director Luv Ranjan. Aaryan’s commitment to his childhood friend is portrayed in a beautifully moving way while also expressing his possessiveness towards Sonu. Nijar, meanwhile, proves his mettle with his role as a vulnerable character who can be taken for a ride by any smart woman with an eye for a tall, dark and handsome eligible bachelor.

It is Bharucha, however, who outdoes herself, falling into the character of a perfect soon-to-be homemaker in front of her in-laws while at the same time coming out as a cunning individual out to rip off the family and challenging Sonu head-on. Her demeanour throughout the film is flawless, and her delivery and expressions in scenes demanding curtness worthy of applause.

The film also showcases a happy and close-knit Asian family, with ample wealth as well as cultural values. There are plenty of scenes marked by witty punchers and laughter, and the chemistry between Titu’s grandfather Ghasitaran (Alok Nath) and his friend Lalu (Virendra Saxena) during their midnight drinking sessions is perfectly showcased by director Luv Ranjan.

The freshness in the film comes through in scenes between Titu and Sonu, and Lalu and Ghasitaran, while the musical numbers are rather weak and mostly rehashes of hit Punjabi songs.

Published in Dawn, February 28th, 2018