Plot
The film tells the story of a couple whose love journey stretches over 23 years, from 2000 to 2023, exploring the emotional complexities and changing dynamics of their relationship. Krishna becomes entangled in a series of murders and is sentenced to life in prison, leading to his separation from Vasudha, who goes on to marry Abhijeet.
After serving 22 years, Krishna is pardoned and released, longing to reunite with Vasudha. The story reaches its climax with one final meeting between Krishna and Vasudha.
Box Office
On its opening day, August 2, it earned ₹1.85 crore. The collections for the next three days were ₹2.15 crore, ₹2.75 crore, and ₹1.00 crore, respectively. This brought the total collection for the first four days to ₹10.09 crore. Given the film’s production cost of around ₹160 crore, it turned out to be one of the biggest disasters of 2024.
The movie faced a significant loss estimated to be between ₹90 crore and ₹150 crore, following another of Ajay Devgn’s films, “Maidaan,” which also underperformed.
Rating
The Times of India gave the film a rating of 3 out of 5 stars. Times Now rated it 2.5 out of 5 stars, while The Indian Express gave it 2 out of 5 stars. India Today rated the movie 1.5 out of 5 stars, and Bollywood Hungama also awarded it 2 out of 5 stars.
Movie Analysis
The script serves as both a strength and a weakness for the story. Writer and director Neeraj Pandey crafts a love story that could have been highly acclaimed in Hollywood or among South Indian audiences. His sensitivity, classic framing, and intricate storytelling lend the film a refined quality, especially as he skillfully intertwines scenes from the past (2001) with those from the present (2023).
The screenplay is rich with humor, satire, and genuine emotional depth. The scene between the lovers before Krishna departs for the States and the extended sequence between Krishna and Abhijeet deliver powerful emotional impact.
However, given the complexities of Hindi cinema in 2024, the film’s length could have been reduced by at least 15 minutes. Additionally, a more straightforward narrative, while perhaps less cinematic, might have made the film more engaging. Unfortunately, lengthy runtimes are currently appreciated mainly in South Indian or Hollywood films.
IMDB: 5.4/10, Critics: 4.5/5
Genre: Romance/Drama
Theatre Release Date: 2 August 2024
Duration: 2h 20min
Language: Hindi
OTT Platform: Na
OTT Release date: Na
Directors: Neeraj Pandey
Cast: Ajay Devgn, Tabu, Jimmy Sheirgill, Shantanu Maheshwari, Saiee Manjrekar
Writers: Neeraj Pandey
Producers: Shital Bhatia, Narendra Hirawat
Day Wise Collection
1 Day: ₹ 1.85 Cr
2 Day: ₹ 2.15 Cr
3 Day: ₹ 2.75 Cr
4 Day: ₹ 1 Cr
5 Day: ₹ 0.90 Cr
Total Collection: ₹ 8.65 Cr
The movie had a budget of around ₹100 crore
