Parivarik ManuRanjan Review: Mature Romance That Plays Too Safe

BOTTOM LINE
Mature Romance That Plays Too Safe

PLATFORM
SonyLIV

RUNTIME
2 Hours

What Is the Show About?

The quiet life of Ranjan Dubey (Pankaj Tripathi), a kind-hearted 40-something bachelor in Lucknow, changes when he hires a mysterious woman named Helen (Aditi Rao Hydari) as his live-in house manager. As romance blossoms, town gossip and Helen’s past threaten to test their bond.

Performances

The casting is generally apt, though, much like the storytelling, it plays things a little too safe and risk-averse, denying the film some spunk and character. Pankaj Tripathi bags a role that fits his persona to a T, and he breezes through it with ease. Aditi Rao Hydari, ever since Kaatru Veliyidai/Cheliya, has increasingly been cast in roles where she plays a woman waiting to be saved by a man. Though she does well here, the repetition in her choices hurts the impact. Brijendra Kala and Sunita Rajwar lend warmth to the film in familiar roles that do not break new ground. Mukesh Tiwari, meanwhile, does not leave a lasting impression.

Analysis

Parivarik ManuRanjan is a typically TVF-coded middle-aged romance, set in an independent house on a sleepy lane in Lucknow, blissfully cut off from reality. The protagonist, Ranjan Dubey, holds a respectable government job and is quite accustomed to being single. His parents are no longer around, and his sisters are well-settled in their marriages. Ranjan is middle-aged, and the time is ripe for a romance.

A friend, Rajaram, impulsively shares a social media reel inviting applications for an in-house maid for Dubey on a first-come, first-served basis. A mysterious woman, Helen, responds and lands at the house. Her cooking is an instant hit with Dubey and his friends at work. Despite the wagging tongues, the two treat each other with respect, and the relationship remains strictly platonic, though that is about to change rather quickly.

The intentionally pleasant backdrop works in the film’s favour and lays the foundation for the couple to bond over food and the heritage of Lucknow. What works in the film, at least initially, is that the Helen-Dubey relationship comes with no labels. They are simply happy in each other’s company, conversing, enjoying a good meal and smiling away without worrying about what the world has to say about them.

The film loses some momentum as it delves into Helen’s past and how it gets in the way of her present. Otherwise, much of the film is about the two having a good time, society trying to poke its nose into their lives, people questioning the woman’s identity, and Ranjan giving them a mouthful. It has a rather convenient, easy-peasy ending, though that does not interfere with the overall impact much.

While the film is a feel-good fictional fantasy that has little to do with reality, it still addresses a thing or two about social hierarchies. When Dubey’s sisters invite Helen to a mundan in the family, they do not treat her as a guest but as a maid, something Ranjan vehemently calls out. The scene captures the very essence of what Parivarik ManuRanjan stands for: mutual respect between two people, irrespective of social barriers.

Parivarik ManuRanjan gets the entire setup right for Helen and Ranjan’s relationship to flourish, though it could have given their equation more time to blossom. While you get to see her heartfelt grins and blushes, and even Ranjan expressing his romantic interest in her, you wish she had been given more room to tell her side of the story too, rather than merely accepting him through silences.

The film, to an extent, feels like a male fantasy because it taps into a woman’s role as a caregiver. Helen breathes life into Dubey’s existence and nurtures his household after years of living alone. She predominantly works in the kitchen, while the man stands up for her in the outside world. Keeping the heart of the story intact, Parivarik ManuRanjan would have been far more satisfying had it given her greater agency and a stronger arc.

Parivarik ManuRanjan is a mature, feel-good romance, though it gets excessively sweet at times in its attempt to retain its breezy tone. There is not much to complain about.

Music and Other Departments?

Joel Crasto’s music is neat, including the Chaap Tilak twist in the mundan dance sequence. Cinematographer Anup Singh sticks to the fairly familiar colour palette one expects from a grounded OTT film. It is nothing particularly special, though he gets the job done. The film is built around interesting ideas, even if it could have done with a tighter and more well-rounded script. The two-hour runtime keeps things comfortable for the viewer.

Highlights?

Performances and chemistry

Good setup and backdrop

How it subtly addresses class divides and social norms

Drawbacks?

Fluffy in parts

Aditi Rao Hydari’s role

Weak climax

Did I Enjoy It?

It is warm and feel-good. Perhaps not the best in the genre, but it serves its purpose.

Will You Recommend It?

If you are looking for something gentle, warm and relatable to spend a couple of hours with, give it a try.

Parivarik ManuRanjan Movie Review by M9 News