Rating : Good (3.5/5)
Genre : Romance
Year : 2017
Running time : 2 hours 5 minutes
Director : Tanuja Chandra
Cast : Irrfan Khan, Parvathy, Neha Dhupia, Brijendra Kala, Navneet Nishan
Kid rating : PG
Love stories featuring “mature” couples – as in not 20-somethings – are rare; the last one I remember was “Cheeni Kum”. In this mature romance, Qarib Qarib Single, the lonesome twosome are Jaya and Yogi. Jaya (Parvathy) is a middle-aged widow, who, desperate, tries to get out of singledom via online apps. Yogi (Khan) is a freewheeling bachelor, who’s had a string of true loves, all of whom he’s had to forsake. When Yogi posts a half-decent reply to Jaya’s profile on the dating app, they meet. However while he proposes future dates, Jaya is not quite sure. She wings it though and they travel together on a journey around India, visiting Yogi’s past loves, so Jaya can see them swooning in his wake (as he claims they will).
So, that’s the flimsy premise of the film, but fortunately for us, the movie isn’t as weak. Jaya and Yogi are both interesting in their own right. While Jaya is a sensitive people-pleaser who has trouble speaking her mind to so-called friends, Yogi is the opposite. He is out there, says and does out loud, but is a poet at heart. Apparently wealthy, Yogi doesn’t quit look it; he dresses like a roadside ruffian, in rumpled, garish clothing, and his overlong hair, braceleted wrists and ear studs are a turn-off to well-dressed, put-together Jaya. He flies by the seat of his pants, takes pleasure in the journey, at times so much so that he misses trains and flights leaving fuming, by-the-book Jaya to travel alone. Philosophically they are both very different people, but we hope they connect at a deeper level.
Qarib Qarib Singlle is a journey, both literally and metaphorically. The two take buses, taxis, trains and flights, and live in hotels, saris and ashrams. The affection between the two develops organically, or so we presume. I saw little evidence of it. There are a few scenes done beautifully, showing us Jaya’s tight reins on pent-up emotion, but other than that I was left wanting. Going into the film, we know how this will end, so it would have been satisfying to get some anecdotal evidence. There are a couple of very awkward, cringy scenes (these almost brought me to the end of my tether) where Ms.Always-in-control Jaya loses her inhibitions, and proceeds to pass out in the arms of our valiant hero. I’m not sure what director Chandra was trying to do there, but it didn’t work. The end when it comes, feels rushed, and a bit of a non-sequitur.
The film still works to a certain extent because of the two fantastic leads. Characterization wise, there were some holes, but Irrfan Khan is a such a marvelous thespian that he does much with little. His unkempt Yogi reads between the lines, subtly hints at his feelings, and slips in a soulful ditty here and there with ease. There is more to this man than meets the eye. Jaya’s character seemed a little more uneven, like I hadn’t been let in on some information about her. Still, Parvathy is also quite lovely, although at times it seems like she’s trying too hard. She is best in low-key, quiet moments, or as Jaya, quaking in rage (at falling for this thoroughly unsuitable man?).
I have to say that director Chandra gets the female angle down pat. For all the unevenness in Jaya’s characterization, I still think I get her, her insecurity, her being goaded into coupledom, her anger, and yes, her whining. Also, Chandra succeeds in building up Yogi as a man of mystery (I still have questions about him) which is nice from my female POV in a love-story. Yogi is nice but mysterious (where’s the moolah coming from? What does he really do? Why is he the way he is – a diamond in the rough?).
While QQS doesn’t quite fill one up with the warm-fuzzy feel-goodness, that one would be drowning in on watching a really great romance, it does leave us in a pleasant state of hopefulness. A decent one-time watch.
Kidwise: Clean. The kids will remain unscarred.
