Parivarik Manuranjan Review: ★★½☆☆ (2.5/5)
Parivarik Manuranjan is a gentle, warm romantic comedy with lovely performances and a good message. Forced songs and old tropes stop it from being truly special.
Rating: ★★½☆☆ (2.5/5)
Genre: Romantic Comedy Drama
Language: Hindi
Director: Varun Sharma
Cast: Pankaj Tripathi, Aditi Rao Hydari, Brijendra Kala, Sunita Rajwar
Not every film needs big stars or a big budget to leave a smile on your face. Parivarik Manuranjan is a small film with a big heart, and it tries to say something important about how men should treat women. It does not always get there, but it is sweet enough to deserve a look.
The story centres on Ranjan Pandey, played by Pankaj Tripathi. He is a government servant, over 40 and still unmarried. He is a true gentleman who has never looked at a woman with bad intentions, and he has never fallen in love either.
Then Helen, played by Aditi Rao Hydari, arrives at his house as a maid and cook. Her presence changes the mood of the home, and Ranjan finds a new, cheerful spark in his life. It does not take long for him to fall for her.
But nothing is that easy. There is a secret in Helen’s past, and her real name turns out to be Manu Joshi. What is her story? Will Ranjan accept her once he knows the truth? And will she say yes to his proposal, even with the age gap between them? These questions drive the rest of the film.
The best part is the sweetness between the two leads. Their love story has several heartwarming moments, and some of them are so cute that you cannot help but smile. The film also makes good points about what makes a true gentleman and how much respect women deserve.
Ranjan is shown as a pure and decent man, and that is exactly why Manu feels safer with him than anywhere else. In a time when women’s safety is a big worry, that idea hits home.
Pankaj Tripathi looks fully invested, and he makes you believe in Ranjan from the first scene. Aditi Rao Hydari has a slower start. In her first few scenes, she can seem like she is trying too hard. But as the story moves on, she settles in, and her expressions win you over. By the end, she feels like the right choice for the role, which is a nice surprise.
The supporting cast steals a lot of the fun. Brijendra Kala is simply a riot. His dialogue delivery, his eyes, and his comic timing lift every scene he is in, and here he gets a major role throughout the film. Even five minutes of him can make a film better. Sunita Rajwar is also hilarious in her scenes, though her role has less weight and screen time than her work in Gullak.
Now for the flaws. After a promising start, the film falls back on the same old family drama tropes that you have seen many times before. The songs are another big problem. They feel forced and out of place, and they show up three or four times.
A song should come when the story or the character needs it, not just because there is a heroine in the film. Without these extras, the film would have been much better. The age gap between the leads is also barely discussed, and that is a missed chance.
On the technical side, there is nothing special. The cinematography and colours are fine, and the editing is good. The music and background score do not leave much of a mark. The locations and art direction are decent, and Varun Sharma’s direction is steady. It is nothing extraordinary, but it is enough to make you smile, laugh, and feel a little emotional.
If you want more to watch, our Student of the Year After Dark review covers a dark murder mystery with Shanaya Kapoor. For a clever but flawed heist, try our 12 12 12 review, and for something with more purpose, read our Being Heumann review.
Parivarik Manuranjan could have been better without the clichés. Still, it is a decent, warm film that stands up against disrespect towards women, and that is reason enough to give it one watch.
Parivarik Manuranjan is a romantic comedy drama directed by Varun Sharma.