Sneha has also written the adapted screenplay for the film and she is conscious not to carry ahead some of the problematic aspects of the original. For instance, in a scene early on, Gaurav takes Bani to a corner as she is dancing freely during wedding festivities. He tells her to cover her body as he catches a guy staring at her from a distance. In Love Today, she obliges without thinking as much but here, Sneha gives it a slight nuance as Bani asks Gaurav instead to tighten his button and cover his overtly visible chest.
The adapted screenplay balances the masculine tone of the original and gives an equal focus to Bani and her feelings. It also makes the scenes tighter without staying too long on emotion. However, it is Advait’s storytelling that misses the mark in bringing out the essence of a moment. When Gaurav and Bani finally decide to unlock each other’s phones, the scene plays out in flashes.
There is no time for us to stay with them, and so the growing tension between the two is never realised. Much of it is lost in translation. Even the performances by Junaid and Khushi seem like they have barely scratched the surface. Junaid is in more control here, compared to his stint in Maharaj last year.
His dance steps, although still a bit awkward, have improved. He has to let go of some of the stiffness that incorporates his performance too, but he is still fun to watch in many scenes where he gets the timing right. Khushi has a steady presence too, especially in some emotionally vulnerable moments where she stays tonally consistent. However, their performances should have done much more in a film that heavily relies on their chemistry.
On the other hand, it is a pleasure to see Ashutosh, who maintains his shudh-Hindi personality of real life with a charming twist. Kiku Sharda’s descent into a more serious role here is quite rewarding too. His revelatory scene in the second half remains a moving highlight of the film.
Loveyapa gets the overall tone right by not delving as much into the melodrama. It wants to keep things light-hearted and entertaining. The perils of social media, which it projects through the story, do become simplistic at times, yet it is not as outlandish to pull us out of the narrative. It also feels like a story that is being retold by a different narrator. Like that experience that a friend went through but was narrated to you by a third person; all the delicious details are there but the heart is missing.
