When the trailer of the film came out, there was a decent amount of buzz and chatter around the film on social media. Many were looking forward to this feel-good film. The family drama has fused dealing with truth in a comic manner, and has shed light on the themes of commitment and fidelity within the concept of marriage. It also marks Nitesh Pandey's first film post his demise. Now that it's out and released, here's all that you need to know about this movie.
'Once Upon Two Times': Story
The story revolves around two college lovers, Ruhi (Kashish Khan) and Ahaan (Anud Singh Dhaka), who decide to get married before the latter moves out to study further. Based in Mumbai, Ahaan lives with his father Kaushik Awasthi (Sanjay Suri), who earnestly tries his best to alleviate the absence caused by his wife after her death in Ahaan’s life. And then there's Ruhi's parents, who are your typical middle-class family, consisting of a fun-loving father Nipun Roongta (Nitesh Pandey), and the love of his life Purnima Roongta (Mrinal Kulkarni).
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Ahaan and Ruhi's spontaneous decision to get married leads to their families meeting each other on a holiday, unraveling ONE big secret: Ruhi's mother and Ahaan's father were romantically involved with each other and were all set to elope, but things did not work out, leaving lots of space for hatred between the two. The narrative then reflects on the love story of Purnima and Kaushik, in narration to Ruhi and Ahaan. But due to certain unfortunate turn of events and many predetermined speculations, the two young lovebirds decide to call it quits. The movie then seeks to discover whether they will end up like their parents or create their own story.
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'Once Upon Two Times': Performances
As for the performances, the film belongs equally to all five characters.
Let's talk about the Awasthi's first. Sanjay Suri and Anud Singh Dhaka have both seen character developments individually. Anud has done a spectacular job in bringing out emotions that were required. Sanjay Suri, well what can you say about this National Film Award winner? It shows that he's an experienced actor and has done justice to his character with ease. Their characters have seen a bonding, which is necessary for a father and son relationship to mature, especially in the absence of a female-figure. There were tons of wholesome scenes between the two that leave you in awe of them.
Moving on to the Roongta's, they are one of those typical middle-class families that you can envision. They're all very close to each other and have many cringy inside jokes that you instantly feel a part of. Kashish Khan, I would say, was not the best choice for this film. It's evident that she's trying too hard to feel the emotions necessary to put out and seemed overdramatic at times. And maybe in doing so, she did not come off as a character you could relate to. Her chemistry with Anud is decent and that might just be the only reason why she stands out. Mrinal Kulkarni, on the other hand, is shown as a fierce, dominant woman. She portrays wonderfully the genuineness and concern alongside the aggression fueling inside of her, given the circumstances.
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The character that stands out is of Nitesh Pandey. What a brilliant actor! He acted in such a way that you felt what he was going through. His emotions, his dialogue delivery and the way he played the role of a connecting thread amidst the chaos stirring was outstanding, to say the least.
'Once Upon Two Times': Script, Direction & Technical Aspects
The story transition between the older and the younger protagonists adds some meaning to the plot. Otherwise, if there was too much of focus only on one aspect, it would have been boring. There were many small anecdotes in the film that led to full-circle moments. Though the plot and the storyline is not very different from what we have seen in movies and shows before, it still manages to do a decent job in showcasing the connections. The director herself wrote the screenplay and this was her first time, so it wasn't all that bad, I would say. For someone who has just ventured out on her own, it's a good start.
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Apart from this, the cinematography done by Jayesh Nair helped establish the setting. The aerial shots and the wide shots, along with some closeups, made you feel like you had teleported to Nainital. The camerawork in this film is a pure example of how simplicity is beautiful. No shot looks done using VFX or CGI. However, there were some complaints regarding some shots being too short or too prolonged.
The editing done by Hardik Singh Reen, however, could have been better and made crispier. There were certain abrupt switches or even scenes that lasted for so little that they were gone in the blink of an eye. What absolutely stood out for me was the part in the second half of the movie where they show Kaushik and Purnima and how their love story blossomed and died down. That was done wonderfully and in a different way, and wish it was more elaborated upon.
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Special mention needs to be given to the entire soundtrack album. There were uses of classical ragas to depict Ahaan's connection to his mother via music, which was very heart-warming to see and hear. Not only that, the instrumentals playing in the backdrop of certain scenes make the setting feel more real.
'Once Upon Two Times': Cast & Crew
Director: Sonakshi Mittal
Cast: Anud Singh Dhaka, Sanjay Suri, Kashish Khan, Mrinal Kulkarni, Nitesh Pandey
Available On: Zee5
Premiere Date: December 29
Genre: Drama, Romance
Duration: 1 hour 46 minutes
'Once Upon Two Times': Can Kids Watch It?
Yes.
Outlook's Verdict
Overall, it's a feel-good film. In her directorial debut, Sonakshi Mittal has touched upon complex family bonds, love, and revisited the sensitive past of two lovers in a heartfelt way. 'Once Upon Two Times' will surely fall under the category of how we describe movies as a 'one-time watch.'
