Zara Hatke Zara Bachke is a 2022 Indian Hindi-language comedy film directed by Shashant Shah and produced by Karan Johar under the Dharma Productions banner. The film stars Vicky Kaushal and Kiara Advani in lead roles along with Anupam Kher and Neena Gupta in supporting roles. It tells the story of a young couple who decide to have a live-in relationship despite facing opposition from their families due to their conservative mindsets. The film explores themes of modern relationships, family pressures, and social taboos with elements of humor and drama.
What is the storyline of Zara Hatke Zara Bachke?
The story revolves around Naman (Vicky Kaushal) and Avni (Kiara Advani) who meet at a friend’s wedding and fall in love. They decide to move in together into an apartment in Mumbai despite coming from very different family backgrounds. Naman’s family is conservative Gujarati while Avni comes from a more progressive Punjabi family. When both sets of parents find out about Naman and Avni’s live-in relationship, they strongly oppose it and try to separate the couple using various tactics.
Naman’s parents enlist the help of a prospective bride to try and arrange his marriage against his wishes. Avni’s mother keeps trying to set her up with more suitable boys from their community. Amidst all the family drama and pressures, Naman and Avni try their best to convince their parents to accept their decision to live together without immediately getting married. However, when all else fails, the couple decides to part ways and break off the relationship as a last resort. But eventually, the parents have a change of heart when they realize losing their children is too high a price to pay for upholding societal expectations.
Who are the lead actors in the movie?
The lead roles of Naman and Avni are played by popular young Bollywood actors Vicky Kaushal and Kiara Advani respectively.
Vicky Kaushal has delivered powerful performances in acclaimed films like Masaan, Raazi, Sanju, and Sardar Udham. He brings depth and nuance to the role of Naman, a young investment banker struggling between his love for Avni and respecting his family’s wishes.
Kiara Advani rose to fame with her roles in MS Dhoni, Kabir Singh, and Good Newwz. She convincingly essays the character of Avni, an independent girl who stands up for her life choices in the face of familial opposition. Her chemistry with Vicky is also a highlight of the film.
Together, Vicky and Kiara portray a modern young couple trying to balance love, career ambitions, and family pressures in a relatable manner on screen.
How have the supporting actors performed?
Veteran actor Anupam Kher plays Naman’s father, a traditional Gujarati businessman firmly opposed to his son’s live-in relationship due to societal gossip. Kher brings his trademark humor and emotive depth to the role of a concerned father afraid of losing his son and reputation.
Acclaimed actress Neena Gupta takes on the part of Avni’s progressive mother who must negotiate between supporting her daughter’s choices and her husband’s more conservative worldview. Gupta excellently portrays her character’s inner conflict.
Other supporting actors like Ayesha Raza, Rajesh Tailang, and Sheeba Chaddha play the parents and extended family members of the lead couple. Their performances add humor and drama as they portray outrage, manipulation, and eventually acceptance of Naman and Avni’s modern relationship.
How is the direction, music, and other technical aspects?
Director Shashant Shah keeps the tone of the film balanced between humor and sensitivity as he explores the nuances of live-in relationships and generation gaps. The script touches upon relevant themes with wit and empathy.
The music by Tanishk Bagchi and Rochak Kohli includes lively wedding songs, soulful romantic pieces, and humorous situational numbers that enhance the narrative. Jasleen Royal’s vocals lend youthful charm.
Cinematographer Laxman Utekar creates a warm, lived-in atmosphere with his visuals of cozy home spaces contrasted with the vibrant chaos of Mumbai. Manoj Kadam’s editing maintains a breezy pace throughout.
Overall, the direction, music, and technical expertise come together to present a polished and enjoyable product for the big screen.
What are some of the key highlights and best scenes?
Some of the best scenes and highlights of Zara Hatke Zara Bachke include:
- Naman and Avni’s meet-cute at the wedding and their growing attraction, showcasing the lead pair’s sparkling chemistry.
- The colorful Ganpati festival celebrations where both families collide, shot beautifully with attention to details.
- Avni and Naman’s playful first night together after moving into their new apartment, blended with light humor.
- The lively household chaos at Avni’s home as her mother tries to hide things related to Naman, evoking laughs.
- Naman’s estrangement from his father that finally culminates in an emotional confrontation scene essayed brilliantly by Vicky and Anupam.
These scenes stand out for pivoting the narrative, showcasing character depths, exhibiting brilliant acting chops, or simply providing comic relief.
What kind of comedy is portrayed in the film? Does the humor appeal to all?
Zara Hatke Zara Bachke relies predominantly on situational and observational comedy to evoke laughs rather than slapstick. Many humorous moments stem organically from the contrasting personalities and worldviews of the lead couple and their families.
The Gujarati family’s conservative outlook compared to the Punjabi family’s relative openness to change leads to many amusing misunderstandings. Bickering between the older family members provides laughs in a relatable way. Avni’s cheeky rebellion and subtle manipulations to meet Naman add to the humor.
The comedy has a clean sensibility with witty dialogue writing, making it enjoyable for family audiences. Yet the jokes around romance and marriage ensure adequate entertainment for the youth who may relate more to the lead couple’s dilemmas. Overall, the humor has a universal appeal without relying on offensive or crass tropes.
How have audiences responded to the film? Is it a hit or flop?
| Collection | India Gross | Overseas Gross | Worldwide Gross |
|---|---|---|---|
| Opening Day | ₹5.25 crore | $350k | ₹6.25 crore |
| Opening Weekend | ₹17 crore | $1.1 million | ₹20 crore |
| Lifetime | ₹89 crore | $4.2 million | ₹105 crore |
Made on a budget of around ₹30 crore, Zara Hatke Zara Bachke has emerged as a commercial success at the box office with lifetime earnings of over ₹105 crore worldwide despite the Covid-19 pandemic. It had a strong opening weekend of ₹20 crore and went on to have a long run of 6 weeks in theaters.
Audiences have appreciated the quirky humor, appealing lead pair chemistry, and progressive theme. The film has struck a chord among youth and families alike. The music is chartbuster, with songs like ‘Daaru Party’ and ‘Sajna Ve’ topping the playlists. Critics have also praised the performances and entertaining script.
Overall, Zara Hatke Zara Bachke is considered a Hit by trade analysts due to its profitable box office collections and widely positive response.
What are the major positives and negatives of the film?
Here are some of the major positives of Zara Hatke Zara Bachke:
- Vicky and Kiara’s sizzling on-screen chemistry
- Progressive theme around live-in relationships handled sensitively
- Humor and comic timing of the ensemble cast
- Foot-tapping music album with diverse songs
- Balanced direction and crisp editing
Some of the negatives of the film include:
- Predictable storyline with an expected happy resolution
- Some supporting characters could have been developed better
- The second half loses steam with excessive family drama
- Overuse of tropes seen in previous slice-of-life films
However, the positives outweigh the cons for most reviewers and audiences.
What is the takeaway message of the film?
The major takeaway from Zara Hatke Zara Bachke is about embracing progressive ideas of live-in relationships while also trying to bring along the older generation trapped in more traditional mindsets. It encourages conversations between parents and young adults to reconcile opposing worldviews.
The film highlights that loving bonds between family members should ultimately supersede societal judgments about moral policing. It conveys a hope for greater openness and communication between youth and elders regarding evolution in cultural norms.
Overall, Zara Hatke Zara Bachke sends out a relevant message using humor and empathy – that relationships should be based on mutual trust and understanding, rather than arbitrary social sanctions. The takeaway is to hold on to love in the face of adversity while also extending patience and compassion to those still evolving.
How is the performance of Vicky Kaushal in the movie?
Vicky Kaushal has delivered one of his most nuanced and balanced performances as Naman in Zara Hatke Zara Bachke. As an actor, he smoothly transitions between the lighter romantic moments with co-star Kiara and the more dramatic, high-voltage confrontations with veteran Anupam Kher.
Vicky makes the character of Naman very relatable as a young man torn between his family ties and his love for Avni. His dilemma is palpable on-screen. As a qualified MBA graduate, Vicky also convincingly portrays Naman’s worklife as an ambitious professional in a Mumbai investment firm.
In the emotional scenes, Vicky holds back just enough to keep the character vulnerable rather than overly intense. His restrained performance contrasts well with Anupam Kher’s theatrical style, creating memorable conflict scenes between the father and son. But Vicky also handles the lighthearted scenes with impeccable comic timing.
Overall, critics have unanimously praised Vicky Kaushal’s layered performance which lifts Zara Hatke Zara Bachke to a more compelling watch beyond its familiar storyline.
How is Kiara Advani’s performance?
As Avni, Kiara Advani delivers one of her career-best acts – bubbly yet spirited, and sensitive yet unapologetic. She nails Avni’s Punjabi accent and body language with perfection. The ease and spontaneity Kiara brings to her scenes with Vicky Kaushal make their on-screen pairing very ‘click’, adding immensely to the film’s appeal.
Kiara also handles the emotional moments well, especially when defending her life choices against her family’s reservations. Her performance in the scene where she breaks down feeling torn between her love and parents is particularly praised. Overall, Kiara shines by making Avni very life-like – making viewers root for the character in her struggles.
Both critics and audiences have acknowledged how Kiara has grown into her own as a versatile actress with her stellar turn in Zara Hatke Zara Bachke after hits like Kabir Singh and Good Newwz.
Conclusion
Zara Hatke Zara Bachke emerges as an entertaining family comedy that sensitively explores modern relationships and generation gaps. Backed by winning performances from Vicky Kaushal, Kiara Advani and the supporting cast, along with soulful music and humor, it makes for an enjoyable theatrical watch.
The positives outweigh the minor negatives as director Shashant Shah delivers a balanced film with mainstream appeal. Successful commercially and critically, Zara Hatke Zara Bachke works primarily due to Vicky and Kiara’s chemistry and the progressive essence beneath the humor. It conveys an important message with its feel-good vibe.
