Bollywood has seen a peculiar trend emerge over the past decade – films that could be called the “I-hate-women-but-can’t-live-without-them” genre, or simply put, “Mission Misogyny”. Netflix’s latest offering, ‘Wild Wild Punjab’, falls squarely into this category.
Set against the vibrant backdrop of Punjab, the film is the noisiest film anyone can watch in one-and-a-half-hour runtime. It leans heavily on stereotypes, portraying Punjabis as loud, fun-loving caricatures often used for comic relief in Bollywood narratives.
Luv Ranjan, known for films like Pyaar Ka Punchnama, spearheads this genre, with ‘Wild Wild Punjab’ being his latest venture as writer and co-producer.
However, the film feels less like an original creation and more like a mishmash of Hollywood’s ‘The Hangover’, Ranjan’s own Punchnama series, and the Fukrey films, transplanted into a new setting.
The plot revolves around four friends on a road trip from Patiala to Pathankot, driven by their friend Khanna’s desire to sabotage his ex-girlfriend Vaishali’s wedding. What ensues is a narrative disaster with unnecessary sexism, portraying women either as villains needing rescue or as unintelligent foils for the male protagonists’ antics.
The film reduces its female characters to mere eye candy, reinforcing outdated gender stereotypes. It champions a narrative where men are encouraged to handle heartbreak with reckless abandon rather than emotional maturity.
‘Wild Wild Punjab’ fails not just in its treatment of women but also in offering any meaningful character growth for its male leads. Unlike ‘Pyaar Ka Punchnama’, which managed to blend humor with sharp performances despite its problematic themes, this film comes across as a tedious exercise in mediocrity.
Netflix continues to disappoint its Indian audience with yet another disaster. Following debacles such as The Archies, Murder Mubarak, and the recent Maharaj, Wild Wild Punjab stands out as the worst among them.
The OTT platform seems to have become a dumping ground for Bollywood films that fail to release in theaters.
