Released Date : 22 Jul, 2023
Avg. User's Rating : 4.5/5
Story: A young couple going through a rough patch in their marriage embarks on a trip to Europe to explore World War II sites. Will they revise their relationship within the historically charged background?
Review: You know what to expect from a romantic travel movie—postcard-perfect sites, adventure, and the lead pair falling in love while on the run. Then there is director Nitesh Tiwari's Bawal, which offers all this and more. To begin with, Ashwini Iyer Tiwari (famous for writing and directing quirky films like Neel Batte Sannata, Panga, Bareilly Ki Barfi, and many more) and weaves a story on love and war that is poignant and heartfelt yet never overpowers one element for light moments and romance. And the movie also teaches some life lessons.
Ajay Dixit, aka Ajju (Varun Dhawan), is a hotshot middle school teacher in Lucknow who makes his way through life and is all about keeping up appearances. He marries a full life and bright girl Nisha (Jhanvi Kapoor), as a trophy wife will be good for his image. But Ajay witnesses something on their wedding day that convinces him that Nisha can ruin his perfect image. So, he forbids her from leaving the house and abuses her at home.
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An incident at his school led to his suspension with pending disciplinary action. To avoid this, he decided to divert everyone's attention and complete the World War II history curriculum by conducting classes at Holocaust sites in Europe. As his parents finance the trip, Nisha also joins him. The rest of the movie is about how they recreate the suffering of soldiers and war victims. The trip proves to be a self-discovery for Ajay.
The build-up of the movie is a bit slow, and it spends too much time explaining Ajay's fictional character and how he misbehaves with Nisha. Some tracks drag on and lose punch after a point—like a Gujarati family constantly passing packets of dry food to each other on a plane or when Ajay accidentally ends up at an opera instead of a museum.
The impressive run begins with a post-interval WW II recreation. The sequences at Omaha Beach, the Anne Frank House and the concentration camps are all intense and fantastic. Director Nitesh Tiwari, cinematographer Mitesh Mirchandani and editor Charushree Roy show their skills, especially in the transitions between the 1940s and the present. The gas chamber sequence during the fag end of the duo's trip will especially delight the audience. Daniel B. George's background score also complements the scenes. The songs by Mithun, Tanishk Bagchi and Akashdeep Sengupta are also tame.
A fresh take on rediscovering love against the backdrop of World War II, writers Nitesh, Piyush Gupta, Nikhil Mehrotra and Shreyas Jain don't have much to give in terms of the pair's romantic encounters or Ajay turning a new leaf. Nisha's life lessons are well done, as the real battle we fight is looking outward for happiness and our endless greed.
Varun Dhawan gives a strong performance as a mean and selfish guy who doesn't care about anything other than his image. He effortlessly pulls off scenes where he admits his flaws. He is great in the scene when he imagines being a victim of war with only 30 minutes and a small bag to pack his entire life and what he prioritizes. Janhvi Kapoor shines in the role of a bright but meek girl who clings to the hope of finding love in her husband. He especially proves his mettle in the scenes that take Ajay through the painful history of World War II and his dialogue delivery is on-point. Manoj Pahwa and other cast members lend able support, including Anjuman Saxena as his parents and Mukesh Tiwari as the MLA.
