Movie Review: ‘Tanu Weds Manu Returns’

Rating: 4 of 5

Director: Anand L. Rai

Genre: Romantic Comedy

Cast: R.Madhavan, Kangana Ranaut, Jimmy Shergill

‘Tanu weds Manu Returns’ starts where the original ended, answering the question to what happened to the couple.  Four years back, in ‘Tanu Weds Manu’, they met, battled and got married. Now, they are still together but the marriage wasnt “Happily ever after” and became more a rattle of guns than a bed of roses.

In the opening scene we see Manu, played by R.Madhavan and Tanu who is played by Kangana Ranaut both sitting in front of the doctors. During their four years of married life the couple has changed causing them to constantly fight with each other.

The basis of the story line is that Manu is fed up and decides to get divorced. With a nervous state of mind he sends Tanu the notice and a pissed off Tanu comes back to her hometown and meets her ex Raja (Jimmy Shergill) and all her old boyfriends.

Director Aanand L. Rai has struck the right cord with the way he has directed this movie. It is very difficult to direct a hit sequel to a successful movie but Rai has managed to do it with much exquisiteness. Some may find the second half of the move a bit dragging but not to worry, its an impeccable movie which will entertain you till the end.

This time around Rai invests more in his characters, and he wins with his lead actress. Tanu’s fieriness gets more heft, as the girl who is not ready to be woman, the woman who wants to be girl again. She is a bundle of contradictory impulses, a spitfire in one moment, a soft ball of mush in the other. And Kangana Ranaut plays it beautifully, mixing up the familiar with the new.

Ranaut played the “double role” well.  Tanu’s character rousing tempers, creating a ruckus, being a pest, which keeps veering off to give its leading lady many chances to play the curly-haired wild child.  Datto is a sporty Haryani girl accompanied by a heavy Jat accent and heavy-set relatives. She is as different from Tanu as she can be, and yet, something about her tugs at Manu, and the film takes an unexpected direction from here on.

Delivering freshness is always the challenge in a sequel. We’ve met the principal characters before. R Madhavan is still effectively restrained as Manu, who is still the sedate guy he used to be, but this time given a little more to do, especially after he bumps into a Tanu look alike, Datto.  Madhavan may be overshadowed by Kangana in the film, but his realistic acting is very enchanting. He doesn’t try too much and therefore is simple role captivates you.

Supporting characters Jimmy Sheirgill, Swara Bhaskar, Deepak Dobriyal and Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub make this movie memorable and a sure shot winner.

‘Tanu Weds Manu Returns’ is ultimately a film that is enjoyable despite its occasional slides into message territory.  Rajesh Sharma, as the ‘progressive’ brother of Datto, gets to deliver a speech on female empowerment,  Swara Bhaskar has a nice alive bit about a woman making a tough choice, though you do wish it didn’t have to come down to a male acceptance of it. And for a girl who wants everything on her own terms, Tanu’s desperate desire for, and succumbing to, a conventional end feels like it was done to up the feel good factor.

‘Tanu Weds Manu Returns’ is a must watch movie, it surpasses the entertainment value of the original even.