Mere Husband Ki Biwi

Direction: Mudassar Aziz

Lead actor Arjun Kapoor has stated that the making of ‘Mere Husband Ki Biwi’ felt like an escapade, which is quite accurate. It does not seem like a product of serious planning and execution. The film revolves around a love triangle with a premise that feels outdated. The story follows two women vying for the affections of a confused male protagonist who, incidentally, is portrayed as a "nepo kid", making a living in the real estate business established by his father.

The clash between the two women borders on a catfight and does not align with the portrayal of contemporary women, especially in the given backdrop. The film is reminiscent of old South Indian movies starring Shoban Babu, which capitalised on love triangles and heroes caught unwittingly between two warring heroines. There comes a moment in the film, particularly after the intermission, when the characters make strategic moves. However, their acts of one-up’wo’manship feel degrading, regressive, and intrusive.

Ankur Chadda (played by Arjun Kapoor) is haunted by nightmares of his ex-wife Prabhleen (Bhumi Pednekar), reinforcing his Delhi background. If the film’s title isn't enough of a clue, the audience is also treated to a bachelor party where Ankur’s father, Senior Chadda (Shakti Kapoor), is seen ogling at women three generations younger than him. The film offers glimpses into Ankur's past romance with Prabhleen, who is often poorly advised by their mutual friend Rehan Qureshi (Harsh Gujral). The love story quickly escalates into marriage, celebrated amidst the Chaddas (Shakti Kapoor and Kavita Kapoor) and the Dhuloons (Mukesh Rishi and Alka Badola). To modernise the narrative, Ankur arrives with a full band to declare his love for Prabhleen with the song ‘Zinda Rehti Hai Mohabbatein’. However, the marriage soon crumbles.

Immediately after the separation, Ankur reconnects with Antara Khanna (Rakul Preet Singh), an old classmate of both Ankur and Prabhleen. The bad blood between the rebellious Prabhleen and the stylish Antara dates back to their college days. Both characters utter profound statements that will inevitably come back to haunt them. In the present, Antara becomes a confidante for Ankur as he recounts his troubled marriage. Enter Big Bro Ricky Khanna (Dino Morea), who assures his sister that this new relationship won’t lead to heartbreak again.

Peculiar circumstances lead to Prabhleen re-entering the Chadda household, bringing chaos along with her. Idiotic confrontations follow, leading to an even more unconvincing finale set in the United Kingdom. Generally, films featuring love triangles rely on strong confrontations to build credibility. In this case, the film loses whatever little credibility it has. To be fair to the actors, they put in their best effort to salvage the script, but the writing is so painfully outdated that the conflicts feel contrived and exhausting. The characters are reduced to caricatures, completely lacking believability. The film's climax falls just short of a Punjabi baraat at an English airport, making it a constant assault on both nerves and common sense.

Veteran actors like Kamal Jatt and Anita Raj are wasted in insignificant roles. The standout performance, surprisingly, comes from Harsh Gujral. Amidst the over-the-top direction, he maintains his composure and delivers impeccable comedic timing. Bhumi Pednekar, on the other hand, tries too hard, bringing an excessive intensity to a role that is poorly written, misconceived, and outdated. In contrast, Rakul Preet delivers a steady and balanced performance. Not only does she look stunning, she also carries the weight of the weak script on her shoulders, despite the script’s obsession with emphasising her looks rather than her character’s depth.

As for Arjun Kapoor, he stands tall, much like Ozymandias — commanding yet lost in the ruins of a poorly executed film. As the confused, down-on-luck male protagonist, he brings much-needed charm to the story. There are shades of Abhishek in his portrayal — only these two actors could have salvaged ‘Mere Husband Ki Biwi’ and given it some substance. One standout moment is when Ankur walks out of the hospital and engages in a brief yet powerful confrontation with Dino Morea’s character. However, Kapoor's efforts are ultimately drowned in a weak script and poor execution.

Someday, hopefully, he will find the right space, much like his famous uncle, and achieve his true potential. His fans at least have something to look forward to. For the rest of us, the film — much like its opening nightmare sequence — remains a nightmare till the end.