Woh Bhi Din The Movie Review: Rohit Saraf, Adarsh Gourav and Sanjana Sanghi's Coming-of-Age Drama Stokes Your Nostalgia (LatestLY Exclusive)

Woh Bhi Din The Movie Review: Imtiaz Ali's younger brother, Sajid Ali, seems to have had a string of bad luck with his films, doesn't he? In 2018, his debut film, Laila Majnu, despite being a beautiful adaptation with commendable performances from Avinash Tiwary and Triptii Dimri, tanked at the box office. Even before Laila Majnu, Sajid Ali had directed a film that languished in cans for years before Zee5 finally brought it to light. Previously titled Banana, the movie is now rebranded as Woh Bhi Din The; three of its lead actors have gone on to be part of bigger things, yet watching the film now has given me a dual sense of nostalgia. After 11-year Delay, Rohit Saraf, Sanjana Sanghi's 'Woh Bhi Din The' is Finally Out.

Firstly, Woh Bhi Din The evokes memories of school days, mirroring the experiences of its main protagonist. Secondly, it harks back to a time when Bollywood wasn't entangled in political agendas, churning out remakes and propaganda. Back then, John Abraham, riding high on the success of Vicky Donor and Madras Cafe, was seen as this promising producer with an eye for interesting subjects (Shoojit Sircar, who directed both movies, is also a co-producer here). With the industry now under darker clouds, watching a film that feels like a relic from a better era stirs mixed emotions. Perhaps it's akin to viewing the past through rose-tinted glasses, akin to the film's character Rahul Sahni.

Watch the Trailer of Woh Bhi Din The:

Portrayed by John Abraham in a cameo, Rahul—a popular journalist—returns to his alma mater, traversing memory lane. Interacting with students reminiscent of his old gang, Rahul reminisces about his teenage self (played by Rohit Saraf) and friends like his bestie, Joy (Adarsh Gourav). The film delves into Rahul's adolescent struggles with masculinity and his fervent desire for a girlfriend.

If you are a male growing up in suburbs and towns, Rahul's hormonal escapades resonate deeply. Sajid Ali crafts Rahul and his friends as authentic characters, capturing their foolishness, lust, and, unfortunately, their awkwardness—all too familiar to many. Even the romantic subplot, oscillating between Rahul's attraction to his pretty next-building neighbour Shalini (Charu Bedi) and a new classmate with a crush on him, Milky (Sanjana Sanghi), acknowledges the complexities of teenage infatuation. Laila Majnu Movie Review: An Enchanting Avinash Tiwary and Confident Tripti Dimri Impress Big Time in This Beautifully Shot Love Story.

But as with these teen romantic dramas, you can't ignore the Archie comics' essence in the screenplay. If Rahul is the Archie Andrews here, then Joy is the drag-along Jughead. For a change, our local Archie has bigger hots for Betty (Shalini), who, for him, is more difficult to attain than the Richie-rich Veronica (Milky). There is also a Reggie rival to boot.

Yet, the screenplay, though relatable, fails to engage fully. Having languished in the cans for years, Woh Bhi Din The arrives at a time when nostalgia-driven shows like Flames and Yeh Meri Family have saturated the market. How 'Distracted Love' seemingly corrupts the protagonist is also a theme covered in films like Ishq Vishk or, for that matter, the Malayalam movie Hridayam. The predictable plotline and sluggish pacing make the two-hour runtime feel arduous.

Nonetheless, the young cast's performances redeem the film. Rohit Saraf convincingly portrays the teenager navigating the trials and tribulations of high school life. Sanjana Sanghi is quite sweet as the carefree Milky, while Adarsh Gourav - now rubbing shoulders with the likes of Ridley Scott - delivers a standout performance as the steadfast BFF who refuses to be a 'stepney'. Unfortunately, the film loses momentum when his character takes a backseat in the latter half. Zeishan Quadri of Gangs of Wasseypur fame makes a notable appearance as a local bhai, who aids Rahul and then also causes trouble for him.

Final Thoughts on Woh Bhi Din The

If you want to go down that sweet memory lane, then Woh Bhi Din The could be viewed as this one-time watch that invokes a reverberating sense of nostalgia and features fine performances from the then-unknown lead stars. Woh Bhi Din The is streaming on Zee5.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 30, 2024 06:42 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).