Movie Review : Tanu Weds Manu Returns

Movie sequels are all too often horribly musty affairs. Tanu Weds Manu Returns isn't one. The film begins four years after the marriage of Tanu (Kangana Ranaut) and Manu Sharma (Madhavan) who’re now struggling to get along with each other. After a serious clash that lands Manu in a mental asylum, Tanu finds herself back in India with her family. Manu follows soon after his friend Pappi (Deepak Dobriyal) rescues him. Both are in their respective hometowns and things just get worse when Manu decides to send his wife a legal notice. 

It pushes Tanu to become the same old fiery and brash woman she used to be and this time, she goes out seeking the attention of Raja Awasthi (Jimmy Shergill). Meanwhile, Manu falls in love with a student athlete from Delhi University, Kusum (also Kangana), who happens to be a look-a-like of Tanu. Matters get complicated once it is learnt that Kusum is supposed to get married to Raja. And more confusion follows when Kusum also falls for Manu and accepts his marriage proposal instead. Now the stage is set for yet another wedding, which can’t happen until Tanu and Manu are divorced. What follows is what the rest of the film is about.



Tanu Weds Manu was an endearing love story with some of the most well sketched characters on screen. The same characters return and it’s good to see them once more. There is a calculated effort on director Aanand L. Rai’s part to make the film very different from his earlier offering and he succeeds in that. Himanshu Sharma’s dialogues are a highlight and lift many a scene on their pure strength. To Rai’s credit, he attempts to reconstruct the same relationships between his characters the second time – and this time, they seem radically different because they’ve evolved over time. At times, the film tilts towards the darker side, thereby offering a new perspective. The performances are top-class just like in the first part.

Madhavan, four years older and a few kilos heavier, is fabulous. Subtle and dignified, he never steps out of character even in the flimsiest of scenes. Deepak Dobriyal gets the best lines and tends to stay over-the-top most of the times. Swara Bhaskar (Payal) and Rajendra Gupta have less to do but still shine. Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub (as Chintu) is a new addition to the cast and despite a purposeless part, he scores big time. Of course, the film’s crowning glory is Kangana who betters herself with every film she does. This time, as Tanu, she gets to do much more in terms of diversity. But her portrayal of Kusum steals the show this time. Heartwarming, honest and edgy, Kangana as Kusum is the life of the film.

In a nutshell  watch it for the one-woman-show of Kangana Ranaut.

My Rating : *** out 5