Only if the script was better...
Only if the film maintained the promise of its beginning...
Only if situations weren't conveniently and easily resolved...
Only if the director understood the potential of the story he had on his hands...
Running Shaadi wouldn't be the morass of boredom it is notes Savera R Someshwar.
It sounds promising -- A comedy that capers around helping couples elope, while underlining the generation gap between parents and their children and the travails that tag inter-state, inter-religion, inter-caste, inter-sub-caste and every other kind of 'inter' romances.
There's even a gay couple thrown in for good measure.
And then there's the lead pair, both of whom have put in impressive performances in their last cinematic outings -- Tapsee Pannu in Pink and Amit Sadh in Sultan.
There is a lingering fragrance of Band Baaja Baaraat in the air.
There is an interesting beginning -- a school girl, Nimmi (Taapsee), who accepts a Valentine's Day invitation from a school mate and then confesses to the 'jugaad guy' -- in case you missed it, he's aptly named Bharose (Amit Sadh) -- in her father's bridal wear shop that she's missed her period.
He tells her she can catch up in the next class a split second before realisation dawns.
An abortion is planned, and executed.
- 'One mistake and you will be thrown out of the industry'
And then there is the big only...
Only if the script was better.
Only if the film maintained the promise of its beginning.
Only if situations weren't conveniently and easily resolved (aggrieved parents forcing their daughter into an NRI).
Only if the director understood the potential of the story he had on his hands.
Only if a strong girl like Taapsee, who is perfectly comfortable in her sexuality and does not think twice about conning the man she loves to elope with her, didn't cow down before her parents.
- 'I am anxious about Ram Gopal Varma's reaction to Running Shaadi'
Unfortunately, these 'onlys' remain as the Intermission pops up and you wander in search of salvation.
But the lights dim again.
- 'I have work and am paying my rent on time'
And salvation does pop up, if only for a few moments, as the runaways head for Bharose's hometown, Patna, where we encounter the delightful Pankaj Jha.
But the five -- or maybe 10 minutes -- that he has altogether in the film cannot lift Running Shaadi from the morass of boredom it has sunk into.
Running Shaadi with the tackily beeped out dot.com gets 1 star, while Brijendra Kala (who plays Sadh's maternal uncle) and Jha add half a star more.
Rediff Rating: 