2 States, a story of two IIM students, Krish, a young lad from Punjab and Ananya, a cheerful Tamilian girl. Story undoubtedly was quite refreshing and had a different taste, which I think can be understood by the people who underwent such circumstances. Quite a realistic movie, yet novel was more elaborative.
Based on Chetan Bhagat’s bestselling novel, it's about a boy and a girl who love each other but decide that they will only marry with the approval of their parents, which infact is a normal approach of any love birds in India(If you are living abroad, then you won't understand this society driven mindstate). The story was well woven with the typical indian mindset of love marriages. The college life was shown nicely from classes to placements, reminded me of my college days. While they want to get married they have to convince their families to like each other, which by Indian standards, is considered as the ‘Grand Finale’ before the next stage of the relationship – marriage! They both set out to win over each other’s families, which usually happens in our society. Ananya’s parents were shown conservative and simple. Krish was however blessed with a over loving and melodramatic mother who insists on calling Ananya’s family ‘Madrasis’ and an alcoholic father with serious anger-management issues. Quite a potrayal of a typical north indian family.
In the first half, a sweet, unassuming love story was delivered showing a warm and modern sense of companionship between Krish and Ananya. Their mothers — played by terrific actors like Revathy and Amrita Singh — present interesting oppositions. Both the characters were well played, but Amrita Singh managed to leave an impact of a typical punjabi mother.
Alia lighted the screen as Ananya, she was charming, charismatic and a cheerful girl. After reading the novel and watching the movie, I must say Ananya's character was well played by Alia. Her expressions, reactions and dialogues everything was upto the mark, maybe I am being lineant for a new comer. Her presence on the screen was refreshing, the chemistry between the two was worth watching.
Arjun, departing from his earlier violent roles, makes a nicely goofy Krish and later from a immature lover to a serious matured and responsible lover boy. Krish was a potrayal of an IIT alumini and an IIM student. By the way of talking, behavior, etc the character tried to grab the essence of a nerd, Arjun tried his best and in my opinion he did well. From the scene where a young college boy is shivering in front of his angry father to a matured lover who presents confidently himself in front of the girl's parents had an impact on audience. His muscular look however was not matching with the nerdy image of the character.
The main melodrama started when the parents of the love birds met each other (a typical scene from our society). The meeting of punjabi mother, Amrita Singh, and the parents of Ananya was hilarious. It was well framed and showed the real life marriage meetings and the clashes between the "Ladke waale" and the "ladki waale", Krish' mother being sarcastic all the time, calling Ananya's family "Madrasi". The dialogues were so closely related to the real life, that it astonished me. "Apko to yaakin nahi hua hoga..ki apko beti ko, Itna handsome aur qualified ladka mila ". Whether it is Krrish-Ananya’s pre-maritaal sex talks or the Punjabi mother v/s Tamilian mother battling out on ‘how marriages are done in a community’, these conversations seem extremely realistic, giving a glimpse of how our modern society actually behaves.
Mrs Malhotra (Amrita Singh) felt that 'Ananya has ‘phansaaoed’ their ‘gora chitta ladka’'. Ananya being fairer than their 'gora chitta' boy, and holds down an equally well-paying job. So what’s the problem? Krish’s mom was submissive, open mouthed and passive-aggressive, like all good moms of boys who think their ‘laadla’ is being stolen away, but her downer against Ananya appeared to have no real reason, just like in the book: culturally opposed parents may start off warring, but they also have ways of getting around these things without so much pointless sparring. The film exaggerates well both the cultural specificities and the spurious differences.
It sets out to be a slice-of-life drama about a real couple grappling with the politics of inter-community marriage, along with that it generated enough energy and warmth in the viewer. For a boy and a girl who fall in love outside their respective caste, inorder to take their relation to a next level, a life long knot, they have to prepare for a 'jung'( an almost war). First convincing their own parents, then convincing the partner's parents and 'uske baad agar unme pyaar bachta hai to wo log shaadi kar lete hai'. That's how our society works, that's how we are. Who can say we have modern mindset? No matter how advanced we claim ourselves to be, no matter how much liberal we call ourselves, some roots are still somewhere deep down into these orthodox soil which always pulls the parents from giving their children a liberty to live their own life as per their wish and to find their own happiness.
Finally I can only say ,
To compare 2 States with DDLJ would be a sin in many ways, but all I can say is that it’s time to move over DDLJ, Raj and Simran and welcome Krrish and Ananya into our world! DDLJ was a fantasy but 2 states was reality. The film stands out from many clichéd romances and is fresh like a breath of air. When we have gone for so many romances, that have lacked depth, 2 States is certainly far more enjoyable and applauding! It certainly deserves a watch.
I think my last post well matches with this one.
"Boy sees girl. Girl befriends boy. They fall in love and tie the knot.
Hang on. This is India and ...
Humare yahan Hindustaan mein do chaar steps aur hote hai. Ladki ki family ko ladke se pyaar hona chahiye. Ladke ke family ko ladki se. Ladke ke family ko ladki ke family se pyaar hona chahiye aur ladki ke family ko ladke ke family se!!!"
in case if you want to read the novel online or want to download it, here is the link:
https://archive.org/stream/Chetan_Bhagat_-_2_States_The_Story_of_My_Marriage.pdf/Chetan_Bhagat_-_2_States_The_Story_of_My_Marriage#page/n0/mode/2up