Pati, Patni aur Woh: An old classic with a modern twist

Pati, Patni aur Woh: A light hearted comedy that promises a good time

“I don’t know why you’re choosing to be unhappy when your happiness is standing right here in front of you”. This dialogue by Tapasya Singh, played by Ananya Panday, is the most effective summary of the aim of the movie ‘Pati,Patni aur Woh’ - to make the audience happy and to give them a good time. That is exactly what the movie manages to deliver.

Pati, Patni aur Woh is a remake of the 1978 film by the same title which was directed by Baldev Raj Chopra and starred Sanjeev Kumar. However, society has changed drastically since then and a lot of the liberties that could be taken then would not be accepted in today’s day and age. It is therefore a good thing that director Mudassar Aziz did not fall into the trap of completely copying the old movie, a tactic that has been used by remakes in recent times. He placed the movie in a modern environment and adapted it to the new surroundings. The basic premise of a man having a perceived extra-marital affair remained intact but the way the story was told was altered.

The acting in this movie was of a very good standard and made the audience feel as though the actors were perfectly cast. Kartik Aaryan pulled off Kanpur boy, Chintu Tyagi, with his usual boyish innocence. He perfectly encapsulated the feelings of a man bound by marriage to one woman and loving the attention of another. He managed to blend seamlessly between goofy scenes where he was trying to hide his affair, to the more serious scenes towards the latter stages of the movie where he realised his mistakes. While Kartik seems to have perfected this innocent (delivering yet another memorable monologue), chocolate boy role, it would be interesting to see him in a different persona. Bhumi Pednekar delivered another reliable and strong performance, furthering her portfolio as a versatile actor. Her last 3 films have all been quite different, but she has come through them with an enhanced reputation. Ananya Panday brings a rawness to her part, which is only natural as this is just her 2^nd film. I believe she definitely enhances her reputation after Student of the Year 2 and portrays a wider variety of emotions. She manages to switch between motives easily, from a new girl in town, to a girl in love and finally someone who has a plan against the man. Finally, a man who’s performance deserves to be given credit is Aparshakti Khurrana. Over the course of the last couple of years, he has become a reliable supporting actor who is seen in a range of movies. In this movie too, he provides a glimpse into his talent as an actor and leaves you wondering why he doesn’t get more lead roles.

The screenplay, writing and music of this movie is well done too. There seem to be subtle references and hints to the movie ‘Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety’. In a number of scenes, the director also makes interesting and subtle screenplay choices which leaves a lasting impact on the audience. For example, in one scene there is a close up of Kartik, with his marriage ring prominent in the frame and Ananya on the side, to show the dilemma he is faced with. The comic timing of the movie is excellent, and it provides a number of quite funny moments which elicit laughs from the audience.

Overall, this movie is exactly what it is advertised to be, a light-hearted entertainer that you can go and watch with your family. It does not take itself too seriously and therefore allows you to laugh at and with its characters. It is definitely worth a watch.