The film, written by Kanika Dhillon, who has also produced it with Kriti Sanon, sends a message against domestic violence while serving as an Agatha Christie thriller. It’s a cautionary tale about falling in the wrong kind of love. Women have endured abusive relationships for ages and the message of the film is that they should fight with everything they have.
Casting Kajol as a no-nonsense policewoman who is also a lawyer is just what the doctor ordered. Her character Vidya Jyoti is always shown to be in a dilemma whether she should follow the letter of the law or the spirit of the law. She is also a woman who has learned to live alone, which is no small feat in itself, and she is a woman who does not succumb to the patriarchy and corruption around her. And Kajol’s comic sense is very good. With a combination of subtle body language and voice, she can lighten up a scene and bring a smile to your face. She is in good form here and is putting all her experience to use. And since she is Ajay Devgan’s wife in real life, in an action scene, we hear a song from the famous background tune that starts playing as Bajirao Singham enters. On one level, the film can be seen as the start of a franchise for him. The producers may continue a series of films featuring his adventures as a dedicated investigator.
Twenty years ago, even ten years ago, it would have been Kajol playing twin sisters. Being in the same film with Kajol is a calculated risk for other actors as they will always be compared to her. So it was bold for Kriti Sanon to start her innings as a producer this way. Writer Kanika Dhillon has worked hard to bring out the differences between Saumya and Shaili. And Kriti Sanon has completely followed the script and the direction of debutant director Shashank Chaturvedi. The audience will be more attracted to the siren style, who believes in living in the moment, than the humble Saumya who suffers from emotional trauma. Everyone has their own triggers, their own responses to trauma. While some people internalize and suppress the memories, others engage in escapism to protect themselves. Soumya and Shaili are two sides of the same coin. They appear as real sisters who keep fighting over small things since childhood. Kriti basically has emotions against herself and she has worked hard to ensure that different personalities come out. In her interviews, she has mentioned that she wants to play more layered roles and her wish has been fulfilled.
Tanvi Azmi impresses in her role as the sisters’ supportive caregiver. And so does Brajendra Kala as the constable, who has no qualms working under a female boss. TV hottie Shaheer Sheikh has got a chance to play the role of a villain with dual characters. Although he has done what was required for the role, one wished there were more layers to his character.
CGI and clever camerawork have helped keep both the sisters in the same frame and it all looks plausible. There are a lot of twists and turns in the film, although one can understand the ending from a mile away. Watch it to see the brilliant acting by both Kajol and Kriti Sanon. Do Patti is currently streaming on Netflix.