Woh Bhi Din The (2024) Review!!

Synopsis – A renowned photojournalist returns to his alma mater as a guest speaker, reminiscing about his carefree school days and first love

My Take – I think we can all agree that being a teenager was never easy, especially considering the hormonal upheaval. Yet, at this age when we are burdened with responsibilities and literally live by the clock, it is quite nostalgic to think about how simple life was back then, particularly in the school days, when the important tasks of the day mostly included impressing your friends, escaping punishment from teachers and of course getting yourself a girlfriend.

By evoking those memories and mirroring these experiences, this latest ZEE5 release heads back to the late 1990s and manages to offer a sweet look at the days, filled with lovely, as well as delicate moments.

Co-produced by John Abraham and Shoojit Sircar, who were back then riding high on the success of Vicky Donor (2012) and Madras Cafe (2013), this Sajid Ali (Laila Majnu) directorial, which was filmed under the title ‘Banana‘, has been languishing in the cans for the past 11 years and stars the teenage trio of Rohit Saraf, Adarsh Gourav and Sanjana Sanghi who have since made a name for themselves with their various theatrical and streaming projects.

And despite containing obvious flaws, the film is able to strike a chord by offering a fresh perspective within its genre as it pays ode to the days when life was simpler and stress-free, friendships were real, and love was raw and immature.

Sure, while it may occasionally suffer from an amateurish and unrefined screenplay that can deter the viewing experience, it mostly captivates and holds interest, allowing one to overlook its shortcomings.

The young cast particularly has done a good job to make this an authentic and relatable journey, while managing to glean out their potential early on.

Set in the city of Jamshedpur, the story follows Rahul Sinha (John Abraham), an ace journalist, who has returned to his school as an alma mater to receive recognition. As he begins wandering the corridors after the ceremony, he encounters four students being disciplined outside the principal’s office and a conversation with them sparks a trip down memory lane, plunging Rahul back to his school days.

In the late 1990s, Rahul (Rohit Saraf) and his best friend Joy Ganguly (Adarsh Gourav) are a part of a group that prioritizes hedonism above everything else. Preferring leisure over academics, they spend their days smoking, and indulging in activities forbidden within the school’s confines.

Moving in to plus two, these gives Rahul the opportunity to interact with Shalini (Charu Bedi), the neighborhood girl he has been crushing on for a while, but despite constant attempts from both him and Joy, which even includes the joining of a private tuition, he fails miserably due to his hesitance.

However, the dynamics of the group changes with the arrival of Malaika aka Milky (Sanjana Sanghi), the foreign-returned uninhibited girl, who immediately becomes the center of attention of the school, but later develops feelings for Rahul, leading to tension between friends. And as time passes, these romantic entanglements strain their once-unbreakable bond, forcing Rahul to begin reassessing his priorities.

Narrating a tale infused with teenage romance and the trials and tribulations of school days, the first hour spends time establishing the friendship between Rahul, Joy and Milky and their strange little love triangle. A love triangle which director Sajid Ali and co-writer Saurabh Swamy have written with both lovely and delicate moments.

The teenage drama in the film leans more towards immaturity, though Gourav manages to add some level of feeling into his role as the long-suffering sidekick of Rahul’s. They craft Rahul and his friends as authentic characters, capturing their foolishness, lust, and, unfortunately, their awkwardness—all too familiar to many.

Even the romantic subplot, oscillating between Rahul’s attraction to his pretty next-building neighbor Shalini and a new classmate with a crush on him, Milky, acknowledges the complexities of teenage infatuation.

Yes, as the narrative dedicates considerable time to Rahul’s pursuit of both Shalini and Milky, it somewhat neglects the potential drama within the school and family dynamics, which could have added depth to the story, yet it manages to capture the little moments of genuine friendship that existed only in the school days. Like when you’re best friend saved you from punishment from a teacher or the joys of going on a school trip together as a group.

While the film does feel like a relic of the past, with its outdated portrayal of small-town thinking and teenage relationships, the problems faced by the characters are eternal, and a solid cast makes it a relatable watch.

Performance wise, Rohit Saraf portrays Rahul Sinha with commendable skill, demonstrating an ability to convey emotions and expressions convincingly despite his youth. He effectively conveys the conflicted nature of a school student. Adarsh Gourav manages to be a standout as the steadfast best friend, while Sanjana Sanghi delivers a sincere turn.

Charu Bedi is thoroughly earnest. Zeishan Quadri is notable as the older hoodlum Dalu Mukhi. John Abraham‘s brief appearance does enough to elevate the film’s appeal. On the whole, ‘Woh Bhi Din The’ is a sweet and familiar coming-of-age story that invokes nostalgia and features fine performances.