Parivarik ManuRanjan review: Pankaj Tripathi film wastes its promising setup

Parivarik ManuRanjan is very parivarik (familial) but there is little manoranjan (entertainment) in the film. The title is a mix of the names of the two lead characters, Manu Joshi (Aditi Rao Hydari) and Ranjan Dubey (Pankaj Tripathi). There is an interesting idea behind the title, but sadly, the film itself fails to live up to this clever wordplay.Set in Lucknow, the nawabon ka sheher, the story centres on Ranjan Dubey, a 40-year-old unmarried man who lives alone in his ancestral mansion. His monotonous bachelor life changes when Helen, aka Manu, enters his home to manage the property. However, Aditi looks far from someone who would be a caretaker of a house. The circumstances surrounding her arrival are not explained convincingly, making the story confusing from the get-go.As Manu and Ranjan spend more time together, a relationship slowly develops between them. However, the story offers very little excitement or emotional depth. The writing feels predictable, and the film struggles to create moments that genuinely hold the audience's attention.Director Varun V Sharma, who has also worked on the screenplay with Brijendra Kala and Ali Abbas Zafar, has played it too safe. Despite having a promising setup and a talented lead cast, the film lacks freshness and direction.The chemistry between Tripathi and Rao also feels rather weak. Their interactions are so formal and lack the natural warmth one would expect from two adults sharing the same home. Even their conversations fail to create an emotional connect. But, these moments never develop into anything meaningful. There are several opportunities to explore the awkwardness of two strangers sharing a home, the small misunderstandings that could bring them closer, or the emotional baggage they carry. Both actors make an honest effort to bring life to their characters, but the screenplay gives them very little to work with. The supporting cast also fails to make a strong impression. Sunita Rajwar, in particular, feels underused despite having the potential to add some humour to the story. We get a glimpse of her Bittu Ki Mummy persona here as well, but she deserved a meatier role. The film begins with some promise but quickly loses momentum. Once the two main characters are brought together, the screenplay struggles to take the story forward. Even the supporting characters and subplots fail to add much excitement.The mundan ceremony and the dance sequence that features Aditi Rao Hydari performing to Chhaap Tilak is where the film tries to bring some colour and energy to the narrative. However, it doesn't add much to the story. The dance feels particularly forced, as though it has been inserted to give the film a moment of visual appeal rather than move the narrative forward. These scenes could have added some much-needed liveliness, but end up feeling disconnected.Parivarik ManuRanjan is a slow and underwhelming film that wastes the potential of its talented cast. Pankaj Tripathi and Aditi Rao Hydari deserved a better script. Tripathi has already proved his acting abilities in several memorable roles. However, this outing gives him little opportunity to show anything new. It ultimately leaves you wondering what exactly it wanted to achieve.- Ends