Band Baaja Baaraat

Rating : 6/10
Release Date : 10th December, 2010
Time : 140 minutes
Director : Maneesh Sharma; Writer : Habib Faisal; Music : Salim Sulaiman
Starring : Anushka, Ranveer

Chai main dooba hua biscuit ho gaya
Main to ainvey ainvey ainvey ainvey lut gaya

This film has its heart in the right place, captures the essence of Delhi (the dhinchak Janakpuri part) and the event that brings out the most flashy, gregarious part of Punjabi’s, the weddings. The story is interesting in the first half, meanders and becomes too predictable in the second but still makes a nice film overall.



Anushka wants to open up a wedding planning business, has a tight deadline as her family wants her to get married and so has no time for love or other such niceties. Through a twist of fate and thanks to his Saharanpur relatives, she takes on Ranveer as a partner. They split various departments, resolve to never fall in love (jahan vyapar wahan na karo pyar, bread pakode ki kasam) and set up a roaring business. Around the interval they kiss. They then spend the next half then dealing with the ramifications & figuring out what to do.


I liked the freshness of the lead pair, seemed to make it more real. While they acted well, there were moments where they did seem to be hamming it a bit but they looked fine together. And the assorted ensemble cast does a fine job. Whether it’s the brother who reminds Ranveer when he’s threatening suicide that no one ever died jumping from the first floor or the rich kids from Sainik farms who want roses showered on a revolving stage after the jaimala or Anushka’s mom who has a single-minded focus on getting her daughter married or the decorater & caterer who soon form the backbone of ‘Shaadi Mubaarak’, the best wedding planners in town.


The music is nice, some songs stretch a bit but again nothing too bad. It doesn’t get too serious at any time, keeps going at a decent pace, some crisis or other at a wedding keeping us & the lead pair occupied. The writing is what makes the film stand out the most – lingo like ‘kaand’, ‘ganne chusiyo’, ‘speed le, gyaan na de’ or even the ‘shit bolti hai to bhi lagta hai FM baj raha hai’ and things like The Delhi university setting, the lousy hostel food, the wedding crashing, the U-Specials, brought back memories of a forgotten era.



I like the attempt behind this movie, using a hero & heroine who almost look like the girl & boy next door, a script that has some authentic lingo thrown in and direction / camera-work that captures the uniqueness of Delhi. Just for that alone its worth a watch.