Nagpur Review – Farah-Boman’s Shirin Farhad Ki Toh Nikal Padi is a feel-good entertainer, but somewhere director Bela Sehgal messes up with the execution. Farah Khan is best when she’s not acting, her persona suiting the role. Boman Irani is a delight, feel critics.
Shirin Farhad is quietly modelled on the Hrishikesh Mukherjee brand of cinema – you meet good-hearted characters, enter their lives, see them dealing with regular problems and then resolving conflicts without much ado or overt drama
All love stories generally have a template – 2 strangers meet and fall for each other and then brief conflicts arise between the two before the final matchup.
Shirin Farhad Ki Toh Nikal Padi also has the same components except that here we have two 40 plus adults falling in love. The setting is also different – all the characters belong to the Parsi community.
Farhad Pastakia is a 45 year old working as a salesman in a women’s lingerie shop who isn’t happening in the matrimonial market due to his profession, while Shirin Fugawala is still single as she has an ailing father to take care of. The conflict element in their ‘love at first sight’ is provided by Farhad’s mom who just can’t forgive Shirin for a mere petty issue. How the two of them finally manage to unite in matrimony is the resolution to this flick.
“The concept is unique, but Sehgal messes up the execution. The jokes are forced and reflect none of the sharp Parsi humour that we are used to. Where it could have turned out to be an endearing love story between two people who are looking for love and companionship, Sehgal subjects us to random gags and toilet humour that isn’t even funny,” writes Shilpa Jamkhandikar, Reuters.
“Shirin Farhad Ki Toh Nikal Padi doesn’t come across as a film on heartbreaks, heartaches or rona-dhona. This one’s a feel-good entertainer. You wear a smile on your face as you exit the auditorium,” writes Taran Adarsh, Bollywood Hungama.
The film manages to turn out to be an endearing rom-com thanks to the terrific acting by Boman Irani and Farah Khan as the middle aged lovers. Boman excels in comedy as well as the serious scenes towards the end and his body language in particular is typical of a middle-aged man. Farah’s voice is her greatest plus and she even shows off her excellent dancing skills in few of the songs. The other characters in the large Parsi community also make a mark like the old man who is caught in a time warp and is still mad about Indira Gandhi. Farhad’s mother and grandmother also have a sizable part so does Shirin’s aunt.
The movie has been executed in a meager budget and money hasn’t been splurged on huge sets, extra-ordinary cinematography, sizzling costumes and exotic locations. It is just a movie about an average couple and their desire to find true love.
Jeet Ganguly’s songs are good to listen to, but this movie would have been better off, without songs. Few of the songs definitely drag the movie. Therefore even with a running time of 112 minutes, the movie isn’t taut.
Sanjay Leela Bhansali has written this movie and the comedy portions standout. Some funny scenes are built around Farhad’s profession. The first encounter between Shirin and Farhad’s mom is another brilliant funny sequence. The romance is also likable with several cutesy moments. Bela Bhansali Sehgal has directed this movie and she has presented this movie in an engaging manner with just a few glitches.
To conclude, this movie would give hope to those youngsters who are still searching for their love. Love has no expiry date, that’s what they would learn.
Suhani Vanjani
