Pankaj Tripathi and Aditi Rao Hydari may seem like an unlikely pair on paper, but they do create an endearing couple on screen.
Starring as the lead pair in Parivarik Manuranjan (that’s right, ‘u’ not ‘o’), the film now streaming on Sony Liv is a departure from the current times when connections are just a swipe away, but come with often mind-boggling ideas like situationships, love bombing and breadcrumbing. A feel-good story that wins for its sheer simplicity and slow-building connection between an office worker and his housekeeper, the Varun Sharma directorial is set in Lucknow, where bachelor Ranjan Dubey (Pankaj Tripathi), who we assume is in his late thirties or early forties, lives in a sprawling, ancestral bungalow. A government servant, his emotional equilibrium remains unwavering now that he has got his three sisters married, fulfilling his filial duties in the absence of their parents.
Also read: Why controversy over AR Rahman’s Ramayana track is at odds with India’s tradition of cultural exchange
However, as is always the case in India, irrespective of town, city or state, matchmaking is somewhat of a national pastime. Dubey’s friend and colleague Bhoop Singh (Brajendra Kala) insists on playing Cupid and setting him up on blind dates with women. But when nothing seems to click, Bhoop Singh devises a plan and gets his reel-crazy wife Tamanna (Sunita Rajwar) to showcase Dubey’s haveli on social media, hoping to find him a housekeeper as well as prospective suitors.
When Ranjan met Helen… and Manu
In walks the petite and beautiful Helen (Aditi Rao Hydari), turning up for the housekeeper’s post. Her arrival puts the sleepy neighbourhood in a tizzy. It is not just her looks but also her name, Helen, that catches everyone’s attention. After all, in Bollywood pop culture, Helen is the enchantress who can lead men to heaven and their doom.
As Dubey’s mansion becomes the talk of the town, murmurs of a live-in relationship between the man and his housekeeper begin to circulate. But the only storm being cooked up is through the delectable dishes Helen prepares. The young woman makes even the simplest dishes taste delicious while giving the dilapidated mansion a facelift.
Parivarik Manuranjan has warmth, a certain old-world charm and two actors who make even the simplest exchanges enjoyable.
Even though Dubey becomes something of a cool cat among his colleagues, he keeps ‘Helenji’ at arm’s length, uncomfortable with a female presence. At times though, her proximity does bring a coy smile on his impassive face.
However, when Tamanna, in her quest for a new subject for her reels, features Helen on her 19-subscriber-driven Instagram account, the twist in the tale arrives as Helen is revealed to be Manu Joshi, a young woman trying to piece back her life after a betrayal and help her parents financially.
Dubey, touched by her story, finds his protective instincts awakening, along with feelings of affection.
That is when the story takes a turn. To the world, she is the housekeeper Helen, but to him, she is a young woman trying to earn her keep honestly. Even though their arrangement is frowned upon, he indulges her in his own way. From a lantern-lit evening and a pizza dinner, or by standing up to his sisters, who treat her like domestic help at a function, his admiration for her guts and who she is is apparent.
An old world romance
Co-written by director Varun V Sharma, Brijendra Kala and Ali Abbas Zafar, the story has its heart in the right place. With its slice-of-life presentation, inspired by the family comedies of Hrishikesh Mukherjee and Basu Bhattacharya, it starts off with momentum but eventually does slip into predictable fare, the climax being more anticipated than unanticipated.
It is the performances that drive this film. Pankaj Tripathi, once again in top form, makes Ranjan Dubey feel real and lived-in. From his mannerisms to his dialogues and reactions to Helen, everything is on point.
Aditi Rao Hydari, as Helen, weighed down by her own past, is endearing, showing the strength of a woman who wants to forge ahead despite the lessons of her past. Though the two do struggle to establish chemistry, coming across more as friends than prospective romantic partners, Mukesh Tiwari and Sunita Rajwar bring their own brand of humour to the narrative.
Also read: From reel to real: Why Imran Khan’s ‘Matru Ki Bijlee Ka Mandola’ feels relevant again
But despite the strong performances, the film does not give its lead duo much dynamic depth to work with beyond a point.
The film has warmth, a certain old-world charm and two actors who make even the simplest exchanges enjoyable. However, it needed a little more emotional depth and romantic spark to make its central relationship truly memorable.