Indoo Ki Jawani Review: Kiara Advani's Film Is A Gloriously Messed Up Mix Of Two Subjects That Sell, Sex & Indo-Pak Rivalry

From the land of ‘Dinder’, ‘Gomato’ and ‘Honey Meone’ Kiara Advani ’s Indoo Ki Jawani has landed in theatres. Indoo an aspiring air hostess from Ghaziabad is busy trying to navigate the complex world of dating and on the advice of her better than Google best friend Sonal [Malika Dua] invites trouble when she calls a guy she met on a dating app home after she breaks up with her boyfriend.

One can easily say that Indoo Ki Jawani, which on the surface seems to be a romantic comedy, tragically lacks on both accounts. Indoo, who is the fantasy of every man in her neighborhood, has a desperate boyfriend who would say and do anything to get her into bed is caught cheating. While Indoo is looking for commitment her best friend tries to ease her into the idea that it is ok to have a one night stand and signs her up on ‘Dinder’, takes her shopping a perfect profile picture, makes her watch a few ‘Honey Meone’ adult films in preparation and helps her find a perfect match.

The match arrives at Indoo’s doorstep as Samar from Pakistan and then all ideas of romance drown in the gutter and India-Pakistan cynicism pushes forward the plot while the police are on the lookout for a wanted terrorist.

The first half of the film is literally driven by desperation and sex [not in practice just talk], the second half is a never-ending India Pakistan debate and both are problematic in their own fashion. The movie just makes a glorious mess of two subjects that are otherwise best sellers in the entertainment universe. On the one hand the movie clearly holds a banner of objectification, and paints are rather insular picture where men only want women for sex, on the other end on the spectrum, is Indoo’s girl encyclopedia Sonal whose solution for all relationship problems is sex and is literally pushing her into bed with just anyone.

Indoo and Samar argue endlessly about which country is better while she waits for a ripe opportunity to throw him out without catching the prying eyes of the mohallawalas, but she literally has no qualms about using him to make her ex jealous confusing you all the way as to where this messy plot is going.

Indoo Ki Jawani has an interesting premise which is wildly let down by clumsy writing. The movie is all over the place with a few laughs and a message forcibly stuffed into it. All the problems of a messy plot and problematic picturization of men aside, Kiara Advani holds onto her end of the deal and delivers a sparkling performance as Indoo. Aditya Seal is a promising accomplice but at the end of the day the film is Kiara’s show to run when it comes to performances.

The movie however can go only so far based on the two performers. It could have done so much better if it had worked on a simpler plot about exploring romance through dating apps than providing just desperate entertainment.