Fresh off his success in Stree 2, we see Rajkumar Rao back in a comedy film in his usual style. Vicky Vidya Ka Woh Wala Video is a light-hearted movie that tries to talk openly about a tough social message but fails to create an impact despite so much potential. Packed with a stunning star cast, featuring Tripti Dimri, Archana Puran Singh, Vijay Raaz, Malaika Sherawat, and others, the script and the direction do not do justice to a great story. However, it’s not just the writers or the directors, but also the acting that gets subpar after the first half. The jokes start to feel repetitive and boring, and nobody feels natural. Here is my in-depth review:
Storyline and Execution-
The film is based in 1997 before smartphones were a thing and DVDs were popular. Vicky(played by Rajkumar Rao) and Vidya(played by Tripti Dimri) decide to record the first night of their marriage on a tape. The film begins when the disc gets stolen and the couple starts a quest to find it before their reputation is tarnished. Along the way, we are introduced to many characters like Vicky’s sister Chanda(Mallika Sherawat), his grandfather(Tiku Talsania), and the investigating police officer Laadle(Vijay Raaz). Set in the city of Rishikesh, the period setting is tacky. The characters lack depth and the story includes too many unnecessary side quests. There is casual flirting, murder mystery, ghost sightings, etc. which just stretches the plot. After a point, we forget that the movie was about searching for the CD. The humor is decent in some parts but childish in most.
Performances-
Apart from Rajkumar Rao and Vijay Raaz, no other actor does justice to their role. Most roles, like Vidya’s mother(Archana Puran Singh), were completely unnecessary and contributed nothing to the plot. Rajkumar Rao needs to play more versatile roles, apart from being a small-town lover who gets into trouble. Maliaka Sherawat and Tripti were too lost in their act and forgot they were victims of poor writing. The only laughable humor came from Vijay’s character as Laadle and Tiku Talsania’s great comic timing. There are a few dialogues and scenes that are extremely witty. However, I could not ignore the fact that this two-and-a-half-hour movie had a plot worth less than thirty minutes. The director has left many character relations unanswered, like the small kid in the house who keeps appearing out of nowhere, which shows the poor execution. The main premise was educating the audience about privacy breaches and women’s rights, but the stretched screenplay forgets the central theme.
Final Thoughts-
Vicky Vidya Ka Woh Wala Video is a failed attempt at a comedy movie with poor punches and a lack of great acting. Writer-director Raaj Shaandilyaa opens the film with a message in mind but lets the story stretch too far. There are a lot of loopholes in the story. A better CGI and editing could have saved a lot of time. The songs just add to the boredom and are randomly added to the film without any context. Apart from Rajkumar Rao and Vijay Raaz, there is very little to appreciate in this movie.