‘Khwabon Ka Jhamela’ Movie Review: Prateik Babbar, Sayani Gupta and Kubbra Sait’s Romcom Loses ‘Wood’ With Its Awkward Lead Casting (LatestLY Exclusive)

Khwabon Ka Jhamela Movie Review: Watching Khwabon Ka Jhamela took me back to a time when Bollywood wasn’t obsessed with propaganda or unfunny comedy entertainers as it is now. It was an era when romcoms ruled theatres, good music filled our living rooms, and cinema wasn’t afraid to push the envelope with risqué content. I am not saying that Khwabon Ka Jhamela, directed by Danish Aslam (Break Ke Baad) is a great movie or even a good one, although it has some unexpectedly pleasant moments. Rather, it serves as a reminder of the kind of frothy cinema that the Hindi film industry once embraced—a style now so out of favour that filmmakers are left with no choice but to still cast Prateik Babbar as the lead, with the movie being released directly on OTT. ‘Khwaabon Ka Jhamela’ Trailer: Prateik Babbar Navigates Love Lessons From Sayani Gupta’s Spirited Coach in Danish Aslam’s Film.

Zubin (Prateik Babbar), a Parsi chartered accountant, is dumped by his girlfriend Shehnaaz (Kubbra Sait) just after he organises a romantic vacation to London. This comes shortly after she rejects his marriage proposal, citing his overly regimented life and his inadequacies in bed.

Watch the Trailer of 'Khwabon Ka Jhamela':

Zubin decides to go on the vacation alone. Following a series of awkward attempts to make Shehnaaz jealous on social media, he encounters Ruby (Sayani Gupta), a free-spirited intimacy coordinator burdened by debt and with her house on the line. Zubin proposes a deal: he will manage her financial accounts, and in return, she will teach him how to improve his sexual prowess.

Khwabon Ka Jhamela is a remake of the 2012 Canadian romcom My Awkward Sexual Adventure. For much of the first half, I struggled to connect with the protagonist, not only due to Zubin’s unsympathetic and foolish nature but also because of Prateik Babbar’s performance. The actor wears a perpetual Cheshire Cat grin and speaks with an accent that makes his character seem hypocritical when he mocks how the locals in London speak English.

Sayani Gupta, however, brings a breath of fresh air as soon as her character is introduced. While her job conveniently aligns with Zubin’s predicament, it enhances the quirky nature of her role. I wish the movie explored her profession in more depth, but instead, we mostly see her attempting to act as a sex therapist for Zubin, with playacted scenes of intimacy that inevitably create awkwardness between them. Despite the film’s premise, it remains surprisingly restrained on sex education, focusing instead on building a rapport between the two that eventually leads them on a road trip to Southampton.

The visuals are pleasing, and so is the score, composed by Siddharth Basrur, Surya Raghunaathan, Chandan Raina, Subhi Khanna, and Ed Geater. Yet, Khwabon Ka Jhamela nearly puts you in a stupor as Zubin embarks on an introspective journey, including meeting an ex to understand where he went wrong (even when the answer is glaringly obvious). Two scenes that nearly redeem the film notably involve Zubin either being absent or a silent observer. One is a heartfelt conversation between Ruby and her father, played with excellence by Danish Hussain. The other features Ruby and Shehnaaz meeting for the first time, evolving into a surprisingly sensitive discussion on relationships, sex lives, and the undue importance placed on men. Both Gupta and Sait deliver commendable performances here.

Unfortunately, the movie places excessive importance on the leading man’s story, pulling the viewer back into an uninspired coming-of-age drama, albeit one with an unconventional conclusion.

'Khwabon Ka Jhamela' Movie Review - Final Thoughts

Khwabon Ka Jhamela may serve as a nostalgic nod to a bygone era of Bollywood romcoms but is rendered nearly disconnected with its uneven storytelling and its male lead casting. While it features moments of genuine warmth and commendable performances from Sayani Gupta and Kubbra Sait, the film's insistence on a clichéd manchild redemption arc diminishes its potential. Khwabon Ka Jhamela is streaming on JioCinema.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Nov 08, 2024 01:36 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).