Shahid Kapoor-Kriti Sanon’s rom-com Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya fails like a dead robot

Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya: It’s nice to conceive of and convey unique stories. Even better if you get to show it on the big screen. But it certainly warrants significant consideration before offering something as pathetic and foolish as Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya (TBMAUJ). In the spirit of experimentation, this sci-fi romantic comedy tries your patience to the point when you understand it’s a lost war and you’ve been trapped. Or perhaps they are misled into believing that it is a unique notion or a rational and realistic love story between a human and a robot. In an attempt to depict human-machine coexistence and conflict, the film defies all logic and leaves you with a large question mark.

TBMAUJ Story

Written and directed by Amit Joshi and Aradhana Sah, the film succumbs to its own vision. What on earth were the writers thinking when they jotted down the storyline? Even though I believe it has a well-intentioned plot, it is utterly spoiled by a meaningless storyline, sloppy screenplay, and an uneven tempo. Aryan Agnihotri (Shahid Kapoor), a robotics engineer, develops affections for a robot named Sifra (Kriti Sanon) while being duped into a testing process by her maasi Urmila (Dimple Kapadia), who owns a robotics company. Aryan eventually falls in love with Sifra and takes her home to meet her family; he wishes to marry her. Okay, that’s it. Any words spoken hereafter would be a disservice to a true viewer who intends to observe this work of art and comprehend the new low we have reached in the name of creative writing.

TBMAUJ Review

Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya outperforms all other futuristic films and shows that attempted to entertain or keep us interested in the world of robotics and science. Remember Rajinikanth as Chitti? He was adorable and kept us interested every time he performed a stunt on film or got into mischief. He was truly funny! Rewind a little further and choose the TV series Small Wonder or its desi adaptation, Karishma Ka Karishma, in which a female robot lives as a family’s second kid. Those sitcoms made us laugh, and how! Even Ra.One, which starred Shah Rukh Khan as the video game protagonist, was not that terrible. However, with Sifra playing a heavily trained computer who can detect the tiniest of emotions on a human’s face but has no iota of common sense, Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya fails to elicit strong emotions or provide a satisfying experience.

Where are the jokes?

The first half is a snoozefest, with all meaningless actions taking place onscreen. The way Aryan and Sifra meet, become close, exchange some passionate lip-locks, then make love without understanding Sifra is a robot is too farfetched to be considered plausible. Only in the second part, when Aryan brings Sifra home, does some light humour appear, and the sci-fi transforms into a family entertainment. However, some of the jokes fall so flat that they expect you to chuckle forcedly, as Sifra does. In one scenario, while rushing from his house, Aryan runs into his father and exclaims, ‘Main toh bhaag raha hoon’. I was immediately reminded of Geet from Jab We Met. Unfortunately, this one sequence, which the filmmakers could have transformed into a wow moment, is so understated that it barely makes an impact or is recognised.

After 2 hours and 23 minutes, I was left questioning the film’s concept. If this is a comedy, where are the jokes? Where is the romance in this story? Where is the science in a sci-fi film aimed at children? Even the dialogue is so dull that you wonder whether the writers were bored while putting their ideas on paper. If anything saves this sinking ship, it’s the final 20 minutes and an exciting finale that reveals the film’s single aim, if any. And sit back for a moment before the end credits roll, and a cameo provides much-needed relief and replenishes your worn senses.

The performances

Otherwise, Shahid and Kriti’s appearance on television makes Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya almost unwatchable. Shahid is wacky and witty, and he has a lot of funny one-liners, albeit some aren’t that entertaining. He recognises his star power, which he relies upon on throughout the film. The opening scenes between Aryan and his maasi are lovely, and I wish the filmmakers had kept that tone throughout the film. Kriti, on the other hand, does an excellent job portraying a robot in terms of hand motions, walking, talking, and overall body language. She looks stunning in every frame. She has plenty of opportunities to perform, but the bad storyline prevents her from going all out.

Aryan’s extended family includes his dada ji (Dharmendra), papa (Rakesh Bedi), mummy Sharmila (Anubha Fatehpuria), mama (Rajesh Kumar), bua (Grusha Kapoor), foofa Brijbhushan Shukla (Foofa), and cook Pappu (Raashul Tandon). Aryan also has a best buddy, Monty (Ashish Verma), who turns out to be his crime accomplice, but he only appears in critical situations and is otherwise absent. This supporting cast works too hard to elevate the writing, but there’s only so much you can do with the material at hand. And, let’s not forget, their character arcs are as hackneyed as they come for a shared family situation.

A mediocre affair.

Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya is a fairly dull and lacklustre affair that struggles to keep you interested and simply tries to capitalise on its attractive main couple. If anything, the three song and dance routines in the film, as well as one in the end credits (title song), may make it a worthwhile cinematic experience.

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