Jul 24, 2024 05:53 PM
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Bad Newz got all the pre-release hype it deserved. Whether it was Vicky Kaushal with his swag and hook steps, forcing us to create viral reels, or the aura of Tripti Dimri, fresh off her success in Animal. The songs, the visuals, and the on-screen chemistry looked great in the trailer. A sequel to Good Newz, a decent comedy film with good actors, the film was supposed to deliver big. However, just like its name, it delivers bad newz.
Bad Newz falls short in most aspects, especially, screenplay and performance. Script and performance are the two main aspects of comedy. You need at least one of the two to work. Bad Newz fails on both of them. It feels like an exhaustingly long 2-hour sitcom that has characters falling out of place. The first half was mildly entertaining and set up the stage for a fun second half. But all the scenes from intermission look stretched and the script gets boring.
Saloni Bagga(played by Tripti Dimri) is an ambitious chef from Delhi who marries Akhil Chadda(played by Vicky Kaushal), a typical West Delhi boy, with the looks of a Dharma Productions actor. Both get married but part ways as hastily as they came together, due to ego clashes. Saloni moves cities in order to move on and takes up a job at a fancy hotel, where one day she meets the owner, Gurbir(played by Ammy Virk). Saloni falls for the charming and rich Punjabi guy, who offers her solace. They soon become ‘more than friends’ and eventually end up sleeping together.
Saloni does this as revenge for Akhil moving on so easily. But in reality, he hasn’t. Here is the main twist in the film. On the same night, she sleeps with Akhil, and unsurprisingly, six weeks later, we have Bad Newz. Saloni’s pregnancy is a rare case of heteropaternal superfecundation, where two different males can impregnate a woman at the same time. Although the movie does an excellent job explaining the phenomena, it is hard for the new parents to accept their fate. The entire movie revolves around how the three of them handle the situation and who ends up with whom.
Even though it is an interesting story, the execution could have been better. The dialogue writing was not on par with what we saw in Good Newz back in 2019. The only glimmer of hope was Vicky Kaushal’s acting. Akhil stays in his character throughout the film and carries the storyline. His delivery and comic timing, even for average punches, make you appreciate the efforts despite the script. There are too many random and unnecessary characters throughout the movie, like the suitors for Saloni. The on-screen chemistry of Vicky and Tripti comes as a welcoming change.
Apart from acting, the direction and editing were decent and had nothing special to offer. The soundtracks were that of a typical Bollywood film, loud and catchy, with great choreography to complement. I would have loved to see a little more sensitivity on the topic of consent and safe intercourse. Instead, the second half was more of a competition between two guys, that went off the plot. Bad Newz is a one-time watch, if you are a fan of Vicky, and need something mildly entertaining.
