Do Patti (2024) Review!!

Synopsis – Twin sisters harbouring deep secrets and a determined police inspector seeking to uncover the truth in an attempted murder case.

My Take – Indeed, author turned screenwriter Kanika Dhillon has been certainly making a name for herself in the Hindi cinema landscape. With films like Manmarziyaan (2018), Kedarnath (2018), Judgementall Hai Kya (2019), Guilty (2020), Haseen Dillruba (2021), Dunki (2023) and Phir Aayi Hasseen Dillruba (2024) under her belt, Dhillon‘s unique set of characters has been garnering her widespread recognition.

Her latest too, which also marks her first production along with star Kriti Sanon, promises an intriguing premise with a fast-paced narrative and exploration of duality, unfortunately, it isn’t quite as smart as it aspires to be. The idea of twin sisters, one good and the other bad, isn’t really new, and so isn’t this Shashanka Chaturvedi directorial.

Backed by an outdated approach and a loop holes filled script, the film ends up being a mess of a mild head-scratcher that eventually yields no major surprises.

Sure, the film keeps you engaged, thanks to its lead performances, but it also struggles to maintain a consistent level of intensity and emotional connection.

Domestic violence, childhood trauma, anger issues, and the culture of silence, it touches upon substantial topics yet its treatment lacks the sensibility or depth to make the flawed seem fascinating. Leaving little room for the audience to fully invest in the characters and their dilemmas.

Set in the misty hills of Uttarakhand, the story follows Inspector Vidya “VJ” Jyothi Kanwar (Kajol) who finds herself tangled in a twisted tale of two sisters, Saumya (Kriti Sanon) and Shailee Pundir (Kriti Sanon). Who according to their Foster mother (Tanvi Azmi) have been on the opposite ends since the beginning.

While one is docile, the other is more flamboyant and conceited. A turbulent childhood turns them into two different individuals who even happen to aspire and fight for the same man, Dhurv (Shaheer Sheikh), the charming son of an affluent politician. And when a case of domestic abuse and an attempted murder is thrown into the mix, VJ is left to investigate the guilty party.

What follows is a series of twists, mostly predictable, some not so much. The film explores multiple themes and has all the ingredients to be an intriguing thriller but never manages to settle thanks to a weak and weird screenplay.

Yes, there’s enough here for a juicy, substantive drama. But the unpacking turns more into an unraveling, mainly because the writing is inconsistent, shallow, and lacks depth. Another problem is the sheer randomness of the characters. For instance, Shailee, who does everything in her capacity to hurt Saumya the whole film even going to the extent of impersonating Saumya on her wedding day to cozy up to her husband, suddenly undergoes an extreme change of heart.

Even Dhruv who is shown as a happy-go-lucky guy in the first half turns into an absolute monster in the second half suddenly. I rather not talk about the triangle love story between the three, which sees Dhruv jumping like hoops between the two sisters. Far worse are the cinematic liberties taken with the law and process.

VJ is the policewoman handling the case who also dons the lawyer’s robe to fight the case for the victim in court. And in the next scene goes back to being an investigative officer. How is a cop with an active job working on a case allowed to argue the same case?

The abundance of unanswered questions makes it challenging to stay invested in the characters. Without a doubt, certain scenes, particularly those addressing domestic violence, are handled thoughtfully, sparking genuine curiosity about what might unfold. Yet, as the story progresses, nothing of true significance occurs, leaving you feeling perplexed and unfulfilled.

By the conclusion, the simplistic story has taken a convoluted path, riddled with plot holes, unexplained details, and inexplicable character shifts. Even the social message on domestic violence, capped with statistics, does little to redeem it.

The only thing that works here are the performances. The ever excellent Kajol, who seems to be follows her contemporaries by playing a police officer, is efficient throughout and brings her innate spontaneity to the character.

Kriti Sanon too delivers a commendable performance in her dual roles, showcasing her versatility as an actress. Handling two diverse and complex characters, Sanon comes out a winner despite the weak script. Shaheer Sheikh is quite brilliant, managing to bring both charming and menacing at the same time.

In supporting roles, Tanzi Azmi is efficient as the whisky guzzling foster mother and Brijendra Kala playing the likable supportive assistant to VJ, brings the house down with a cheeky one-liner or two. On the whole, ‘Do Patti’ is a damp squib of a thriller which despite efficient performances remains an uneven and undercooked watch.