‘A boy drives a girl to help her unite with her lover’– the storyboard of Hum Bhi Akele, Tum Bhi Akele might seem similar to fans of the Bollywood movie Jab We Met, but the film takes many different turns on the way. And anyone who has been on a ride with many bumps and curves, would know that at the end of it, you are usually left with a back ache. The Zareen Khan-Anshuman Jha starrer suffers from this issue as well.
The Disney+ Hotstar feature opens up with two individuals — Meera (Khan) from Meerut, who has always liked dressing in pants, and Veer (Jha) from Punjab, who runs away from his ring ceremony, not wanting to cheat his fiancé. In the next few minutes, we find out that both of them are gay and have arrived in Delhi to meet their respective partners. A chance encounter brings them close and Meera soon moves in with Veer. Here, we get to see their different sides — she as the ‘bindaas’, cigarette-smoking, reckless person, while Veer is left tidying up behind her, all submissive and quiet.
After facing a heartbreak, Veer decides to drive Meera to McLeod Ganj to unite her with her lover Nikki. On the way, the two bond, spend time and realise they have a deep connection between them. When Nikki too refuses to accept her relationship in front of her family, the ‘soul mates’ decide to settle in together. Too much drama already? Well, there’s a lot more left. After a few months of staying as a couple, Meera realises she misses the love of her life, while Veer has already developed a soft corner for her and is insecure about losing his partner.
The film started on a promising note, however, it soon faltered, with the makers wanting to add too many twists in the tale. The performances also don’t remain consistent. There are times when you feel the actors are being such naturals, but at times you want them to emote more. What comes across as a major disappointment is that a film supporting the cause of same-sex love story has the lead couple reasoning that ‘parents and society’ will be happy when they decide to settle down.
However, full marks to the makers for handling the subject sensitively — be it the warm friendship between Veer and Meera, to Akshay (Veer’s lover) battling his truth in an unhappy marriage or Veer getting attached to Meera. Rabbi Shergill’s “Bulla Ki Jaana” also finds prominence throughout the film, with the tone and texture of the song changing with situations.
This movie was supposed to be about ‘Love beyond gender’ as a character says at one point, but you end up wondering if the makers did complete justice to it? Directed by Harish Vyas, Hum Bhi Akele, Tum Bhi Akele is streaming on Disney+ Hotstar.
