Dream Girl 2 Review: Comical and Heartwarming!

Reckoning the success of Dream Girl 1, Balaji Productions and filmmaker Raaj Shaandilyaa are all set to create comic sense amongst the audience. Dream Girl 2 happens to be the second collaboration between Raaj and Balaji Productions. Explicitly, the first instalment ended up as a bold commentary over the least discussed issue of loneliness, and the second part followed its path.

The cast for the film features Ayushmann Khurrana and Ananya Panday in the lead roles, with Paresh Rawal, Rajpal Yadav, and Vijay Raaz in supporting roles. Annu Kapoor, who looked splendid, acted as a cherry on top for the explicit comic experience. Dream Girl 2 marked the return of the mythical character of Pooja. However, this time, the tables have turned. Pooja, whose magnetic voice attracted an endless number of men, now has a face and stands up straight to continue her streak of attracting more men.

Related: Best Marathi Movies on Prime Video Right Now!

Dream Girl 2 opens with Karam (Ayushmann Khurrana) son of Jagjit (Annu Kapoor) who is a loan fraudulent and has no firm plans to repay them. At the same time Karam is in deep love with Paari (Ananya Panday) and they are planning to get married soon but his father acts as a major barrier as he wants Karam to have a stable job and earn more than him, which forces Karam into dilemma and to take up role of Pooja using his feminine voice and characters and this follows a crazy struggle to get to his love and be who he is.

Beginning with the positives, Dream Girl 2 offers a comical-yet-heartwarming storytelling. It resembles a painting, as it heavily relies on the audience to derive meanings for themselves. Some viewers might draw bold and profound lessons from its visual language, which continues to carry social commentary on mental health and gender theory. Meanwhile, others might perceive it simply as a comedic experience that allows the audience to immerse themselves and temporarily escaping their everyday chaos.

Moving on to the mise-en-scène, the film hardly harbored any hidden meanings or elaborate plots. Instead, it excelled in adhering to the fundamental storytelling rule of “showing” rather than “telling.” It achieved perfection by predominantly avoiding excessive montages and selective grading of scenes, allowing the audience to comprehend the character’s situation without explicit verbal explanations.

Furthermore, from a technical perspective, the film predominantly employed static camera shots, with only a few tracking sequences that delved into the characters’ psyches. The cinematographers, C. K. Muraleedharan and Jitan Harmeet Singh, utilized a pinkish-yellow frame grading and heavily focused on creating soothing pink, red, and blue color palettes. This emphasis on a feminine atmosphere enhanced the comedy, adding depth to the overall experience.

Wrapping up with a classic storytelling approach, the film draws on realistic elements of loan defrauding and sensations of lust. It also incorporates formalistic elements of a man posing as a girl, placing him in climactic situations, thus exemplifying a classic storytelling style.

Speaking of the performances, the chemistry between Ayushmann Khurrana and Annu Kapoor is well-written, and we never miss the impactful exchanges they had in the prequel. Despite the impactful conflicts performed by other actors, Ananya Panday’s odd and expressionless acting becomes a major distracting element. It wouldn’t be wrong to consider it a significant casting mistake, especially as she had to replace Nushrratt Bhaaruccha who played the role exceptionally well in the prequel. Unfortunately, Panday struggled to fill her shoes and stand opposite Ayushmann in the sequel.

Dream Girl 2 predominantly focused on the subjective perspective, immersing us in the life of Karam/Pooja. However, it eventually shifted to an objective perspective, particularly during the prominent third act. This shift was somewhat loosely woven, resulting in the presence of several plot holes. Additionally, the film lacked a significant dopamine-boosting element, causing some viewers to perceive the plot as being excessively prolonged. Many audiences felt that the story could have been improved with more substantial editing to propel the narrative more effectively.

Continuing with the subjective perspective, the movie was predominantly shot using a 35 to 40 mm lens. This choice highlighted the expansive atmosphere and directed our focus primarily on the characters and their expressions.

Audio has played an unexpectedly significant role in enhancing the storytelling experience. For a considerable portion of the film, the exaggerated dramatic voice scores convey much of the narrative. Additionally, the flawlessly explicit compositions by Meet Bros assist us in navigating the story and adapting to Karam’s circumstances and life. Overall, Dream Girl 2  is a bitter-sweet cinematic experience and is worth watching!

Related: Best Telugu Movies of 2023 You Can Stream Now!

‘Dream Girl 2’ Rating – 3.5/5