Opinion For the debacle that is ‘Nadaaniyan’, blame the writer, not actors

While the new film felt like it was trying too hard, the older one seemed to flow effortlessly as ever.

No prizes for guessing that one of those films is Ibrahim Ali Khan’s debut, Nadaaniyan, now the subject of much ridicule, bad reviews, memes, and, last I checked, at least one e-lafda.

The other one is Socha Na Tha, Abhay Deol’s launchpad, which incidentally completed 20 years around the time Naadaaniyan released.

Socha Na Tha (2005) was not exactly a box office success in its time but went on to have an enduring legacy. It was also, by the way, Imtiaz Ali’s debut film. Some viewers, this writer among them, consider it to be better than Jab We Met (2007), which saw actual commercial success and made Ali a force to reckon with in Hindi-language cinema.

Not all films age well. When we look back at our favourite old films and TV shows, many times they tend to induce embarrassment. The jokes are not politically correct anymore, the dialogue feels forced, and the tropes (hero ka dost, heroine ki saheli) induce cringe. Watched years later, they feel jaded, boring, and in some cases, plain wrong. Very few films emit the radiance that Socha Na Tha does. Twenty years later, it feels spunky and fresh as ever.

So, what worked for Socha Na Tha and didn’t for Nadaaniyan?

One thing: Writing. In the former, every scene seemed to blend seamlessly into the next, and the dialogues drew you closer to the characters. Who can forget Aditi’s (Ayesha Takia) “jee karta hai unke moonh pe chai phenk ke bolun sau jootein maarna pasand hai tumhe” while sharing her true feelings on arranged marriages, or Viren’s (Abhay Deol) “Kya? I love you? Wo toh har koi har kisi ko bolta hai yaar” to Aditi’s “tumne bola nahi usey abhi tak?”

Compare this to Pia’s “Arjun, tumhara naam Arjun Sharma hai kya? Toh tum itna sharmate kyun ho?” in Nadaaniyan. I mean, seriously?

Not that the characters in Socha Na Tha didn’t have their flaws. Viren is an entitled piece of work who seemed to care only for his feelings and think nothing of hurting his girlfriend Karen when he suddenly realises that he loves Aditi. Aditi, for her part, seems to have no career plans despite her “BA literature” education. Her whole life seems to be a never-ending exercise in coyly waiting for marriage. But it is the writing, the treatment given to the characters, that makes you feel for them, even 20 years later.

Another thing that worked was the casting. Deol, the nephew of yesteryear star Dharmendra, fits the character of Viren — a young, fun-loving, confused, bumbling, entitled man who, at the end of the day, just wants to do the right thing — to the T. And Takia, playing the demure, largely obedient, nice girl, who shows uncharacteristic guts in running away to her lover on the day of her engagement, is perfect as Aditi.

Of course, it helped that Deol and Takia were fresh faces. Ibrahim’s jovial interactions with paparazzi graced our social media for a good couple of years before we got to see his acting chops, or, as some would argue, the lack thereof. Or Khushi Kapoor, who will always be unfairly compared to her superstar mother — the late Sridevi.

The way Socha Na Tha played out, it never felt like it was trying to force an idea upon you. It simply showed you two imperfect adults and their lives, and encouraged you to draw your own conclusion. Or better still, simply enjoy the ride as their co-traveller.

Nadaaniyan, on the contrary, felt like an uncomfortable plane journey where the person seated next seems to have committed themselves to making every single minute unbearable for you.

But all is not lost. In real life, Ibrahim and Khushi seem like interesting characters. I still crack up when I see the former’s banter with the press outside the gym in reels that keep showing up on my feed. Khushi, too, seems real and relatable when she openly jokes about the surgeries that have given her the face that she has now. Maybe some director in the near future can pick on these traits and serve us something that is more palatable.

But that will happen when it happens. For now, do yourself a favour and watch Socha Na Tha.

deepika.singh@expressindia.com