When I watched Tanu Weds Manu four years ago, I didn’t get that heartening “happily ever after” feeling at the end. Tanu and Manu seemed like a terribly mismatched pair and even though they fought all odds to get married, it didn’t seem like it would last.
Funnily, director Anand L. Rai and writer Himanshu Sharma begin the film’s sequel by letting us know the marriage between the two is on the rocks. Tanu goes back to her old wild ways in Kanpur, and Manu meets Datto, who looks like Tanu but is a “better” person.
Right from the word go, the film is a riot. All the characters return, their quirks intact, and the writing is sharper and funnier. Rai is easily the best chronicler of small-town life and the sights, sounds and people all add to the charm.
What truly makes the film a joy is Kangana Ranaut, who just keeps knocking it out of the park. It’s impossible to take your eyes off her, and Rai seems fully-aware of the actor’s potential, presenting her, deservingly, like a “superstar”. Ranaut is so good in her dual roles, she should get a double nomination at the awards next year.
Deepak Dobriyal was fantastic in the first part, and the actor is in fine form again. A new addition is the talented Mohammad Zeeshan Ayyub, who only makes things better. R Madhavan is suitably restrained once again.
There are flights-of-fancy post-interval and the ending might seem clichéd to some, but Tanu Weds Manu Returns is the most fun I’ve had at a Hindi film in recent times. The film is the rare instance where I didn't care much about the first part, but loved the sequel.