Film Review: Woh Khaas

Film: Woh Khaas

Director: Ankit Bhardwaj

Producer: Richa Singh

Cast: Agam Anand, Shambhavi Singh, RJ Chokha, Avinash Mishra and Bhawna Meet.

Music: Romil Sinha

Streaming Platforms: Pocket Films, Hungama Play and Vi Movies & TV

Duration: 32 Minutes and 45 Seconds

Language: Hindi and English

Rating: 3.5/5

USP: Screenplay, Feature Film Treatment, climax and Dialogues

What's Good: Performances, Direction, Music and Editing

What's Bad: Inconsistent Sound Design and Continuity

Synopsis: A business tycoon bored with his monotonous work-life escapes from his corporate setup for a day and ends up meeting a girl, who like a dream changes him upside down in a real ‘Filmy Manner’. Woh Khaas is a jazzy tribute to Bollywood romances that tries to combine the reality of love and the flamboyance of Indian cinema in an entertaining and enriching way.

Review: The movie begins with a very interesting scene which creates curiosity in the minds of the viewers, cut to a narration by the leading actor and that establishes a perfect goal for the rom-com to proceed. The screenplay follows all the methods of a perfect template, with smartly written dialogues and sizzling chemistry between the leads. Being a romantic film lover, I really liked this short. Despite being made by new faces and filmmakers, it gives the fun of a big ticket flick. It amazes me that so many hidden talents we have in our country, only thing they need is an 'opportunity'. The screenplay and the dialogues shines the most, not to forget the treatment given by the director. Ankit Bharadwaj's direction and editing is top notch, he seems very clear that he always wanted this short to present in a feature film style and took out work from his actors the same way any mainstream Bollywood stars would have done it.

The chemistry between Agam Anand and Shambhavi Singh is one major highlight of the film, they are very soothing to the eyes together, a perfect casting for the kind of the film it is. They complimented each other, reminded me of young Shah Rukh Khan and Priety Zinta, what works in their favor is I wanted more of them. Shambhavi is a delight to watch, full of potential and I want to see her in more roles. In the first watch Shambhavi steals the show but when you watch it again, you start admiring leading actor's performance more. Agam Anand gets extra marks for writing a wonderful screenplay and voicing the narrator part to the T, his acting is surprisingly genuine and matured, he intentionally underplays the character giving all the limelight to Shambhavi. Satish Verma as the driver is massy, the music is good, the song sung by Ady Manral and composed by Romil Sinha is refreshing.

The sound design could have been better, and also the continuity though I know the movie was stuck for a while due to the lockdown but you can't use it as an excuse if you are making a film of this standard.

Overall the short delivers on what it promises of being “a different love story”. Right-off from the start, the narrator asks the audience to watch till the end because he needs our help, thus forming a bond between the viewer and narrator as friends, and the initial setting of the story is light and comic. Two strangers meet with the premise to enjoy a different life for one day. Then the story spins around, slowing down from the issues and the trials of daily life to enjoy and in the process may find that one person with whom the day lights up just a little bit more. Continuing from the preamble that the title says, the end has a good twist with the actress telling the actor as she is going away, that she is not who she told him she was, but going to cherish and preserve the day forever. She also says “if you find me we will see it from there”, thus creating a solid foundation for the sequel and as the narration of the story tied it up from the beginning to the end and the jokes, the acting, the whole set up makes it a worthwhile experience, wanting the audience to come back for more.

'Woh Khaas' is officially selected at the Paus Premieres Festival 2021 in United Kingdom and it had a special UK premiere on 10th of August in London. It is produced by Richa Singh under the banner of Anaisha Motion Pictures. The English version of the film is exclusively streaming on Pocket Films.