Why 'Cocktail 2' doesn't get the mix right for a love-high
The Shahid Kapoor, Kriti Sanon, Rashmika Mandanna starrer broaches the right questions about relationships, but doesn't dive deep enough to offer potent answers
Producer Dinesh Vijan returns with a film that changed his professional trajectory after a vanvaas of 14 years and that of actress Deepika Padukone too, and funnily not much has changed since. The chartbuster Bandhu makes a return; as do the Adajanias, with Homi in the director’s chair; and Pritam in the music director’s role. What’s new in this old wine bottle are the writers: Luv Ranjan and Tarun Jain. They too stick to the predecessor’s moral code: domesticity is bliss and traditions are paramount.
Kriti’s Ally, reminiscent of Deepika’s Veronica, is the wild one, testing the relationship of college sweethearts Kunal and Diya. Like Diana Penty’s Meera, Diya is the uptight, good-natured one. She may not be the life of the party but she’s the nave, principled woman the boys’ parents would be happy to have as their bahu. In a live-in relationship, Kunal and Diya, though, are feeling the 10-year itch, with Diya suddenly insecure of their future as a friend’s relationship falls apart and their own dilly-dallying with the subject of marriage.
The emotional notes are all familiar, and that’s certainly by design, but Cocktail 2’s trouble is that it doesn’t create any credible sense of conflict or drama or even passion. It’s too invested in its Instagram filter visual palette, with songs seeming like a travel influencer’s reel, to draw you into the trio’s self-inflicted wounds. It’s another matter that the conclusion of this love triangle is apparent from the get-go. If anything, the predecessor taught us that more screen time, shorter outfits, longer tresses and deep necklines don’t translate into victory in the battlefield that’s love.
A straightforward title for Cocktail 2 would be ‘Let’s Play Around With Kunal’. Ally and Diya are the mischief planners, both women aware of the repercussions of the deal. Diya wants Ally to play the game of seduction with Kunal to test his loyalty. Kunal seems to be having a gala time with Ally but he is oblivious to both women’s scheming ways. Trouble is when Ally, in a span of three days, seems to have fallen hard for Kunal—there are three songs to prove it alongside furtive, longing looks amidst drives, drinking and partying—and is convinced they are MFEO (made for each other). So, when Diya decides to propose to Kunal, Ally decides to embrace the role of being a party pooper and challenge their equation.
Once again, Ally’s character is the one with more meat; she is even referred to as the narbhakshi aka maneater. Kriti devours the part with gusto. Even when Cocktail 2 seems to have lost direction and purpose, she ensures Ally is upbeat, everywhere and a tad feisty in her mission to get the guy even if he is committed to someone else. Constantly sowing seeds of doubt, Ally is the most active character of the narrative. Of course, it’s irrelevant what she actually does for a living to have such a rich wardrobe of clothes.
Shahid does his part here of both the bait and the wronged guy, who in typical Luv Ranjan fashion gets to deliver the final word on the true meaning of love and what construes the edifice of a relationship. That Rashmika doesn’t make an impression rides as much on the boxing of her character in a boring, stereotypical mould and her own inability to infuse life into Diya.
Cocktail 2 broaches questions worth asking: can love withstand the test of time? Does settling down weaken desire? Can instant connection override first love? Only it doesn’t want to dive deep to come across as mature and sensible. Usually, round two of a drink is to settle down, prolong the good time and get a high. Cocktail 2 is not potent enough to live up on all fronts.
Subscribe to India Today Magazine
Producer Dinesh Vijan returns with a film that changed his professional trajectory after a vanvaas of 14 years and that of actress Deepika Padukone too, and funnily not much has changed since. The chartbuster Bandhu makes a return; as do the Adajanias, with Homi in the director’s chair; and Pritam in the music director’s role. What’s new in this old wine bottle are the writers: Luv Ranjan and Tarun Jain. They too stick to the predecessor’s moral code: domesticity is bliss and traditions are paramount.
Kriti’s Ally, reminiscent of Deepika’s Veronica, is the wild one, testing the relationship of college sweethearts Kunal and Diya. Like Diana Penty’s Meera, Diya is the uptight, good-natured one. She may not be the life of the party but she’s the nave, principled woman the boys’ parents would be happy to have as their bahu. In a live-in relationship, Kunal and Diya, though, are feeling the 10-year itch, with Diya suddenly insecure of their future as a friend’s relationship falls apart and their own dilly-dallying with the subject of marriage.
The emotional notes are all familiar, and that’s certainly by design, but Cocktail 2’s trouble is that it doesn’t create any credible sense of conflict or drama or even passion. It’s too invested in its Instagram filter visual palette, with songs seeming like a travel influencer’s reel, to draw you into the trio’s self-inflicted wounds. It’s another matter that the conclusion of this love triangle is apparent from the get-go. If anything, the predecessor taught us that more screen time, shorter outfits, longer tresses and deep necklines don’t translate into victory in the battlefield that’s love.
A straightforward title for Cocktail 2 would be ‘Let’s Play Around With Kunal’. Ally and Diya are the mischief planners, both women aware of the repercussions of the deal. Diya wants Ally to play the game of seduction with Kunal to test his loyalty. Kunal seems to be having a gala time with Ally but he is oblivious to both women’s scheming ways. Trouble is when Ally, in a span of three days, seems to have fallen hard for Kunal—there are three songs to prove it alongside furtive, longing looks amidst drives, drinking and partying—and is convinced they are MFEO (made for each other). So, when Diya decides to propose to Kunal, Ally decides to embrace the role of being a party pooper and challenge their equation.
Once again, Ally’s character is the one with more meat; she is even referred to as the narbhakshi aka maneater. Kriti devours the part with gusto. Even when Cocktail 2 seems to have lost direction and purpose, she ensures Ally is upbeat, everywhere and a tad feisty in her mission to get the guy even if he is committed to someone else. Constantly sowing seeds of doubt, Ally is the most active character of the narrative. Of course, it’s irrelevant what she actually does for a living to have such a rich wardrobe of clothes.
Shahid does his part here of both the bait and the wronged guy, who in typical Luv Ranjan fashion gets to deliver the final word on the true meaning of love and what construes the edifice of a relationship. That Rashmika doesn’t make an impression rides as much on the boxing of her character in a boring, stereotypical mould and her own inability to infuse life into Diya.
Cocktail 2 broaches questions worth asking: can love withstand the test of time? Does settling down weaken desire? Can instant connection override first love? Only it doesn’t want to dive deep to come across as mature and sensible. Usually, round two of a drink is to settle down, prolong the good time and get a high. Cocktail 2 is not potent enough to live up on all fronts.
Subscribe to India Today Magazine
