Namastey England: Frothy, Fun – 3.5
Namastey England is the sequel to the extremely entertaining Namastey London, starring Akshay Kumar and Katrina Kaif. The first part has the disarming charm of Akshay Kumar and the glamorous Katrina Kaif. This time around, we have the man-boy charm of Arjun Kapoor and the sweetness of Parineeti Chopra. Does the latter work better than the first? Read our review to find out.
Namastey England is one of those rare films that aren’t just a love story – these films are also a dialogue on various social mores. Most films set in Punjab want to tell you that all’s well in Punjab and there’s no problem. Apart from some films that specifically spoke about the terrorism problem in Punjab, only Udta Punjab actually spoke about the drug problem. Namastey England, in its own mainstream way, tries to inform India about the Punjabi’s obsession with emigrating to London or Canada or the US.
The film is about a young couple, played by Arjun Kapoor and Parineeti Chopra, Param and Jasmeet. The two get married, and Jasmeet has ambitions – which her grandfather doesn’t support. Jasmeet and Parmeet separate, because Jasmeet wants to pursue her interests and there should leave India. Soon, Parmeet decides to get back his wife and that sets the rest of the film in England.
Arjun Kapoor and Parineeti Chopra had a charming chemistry in Ishaqzaade. After more than half a decade, that freshness is still there, and that’s what makes the film more watchable. Of course, there’s no way Arjun Kapoor can fulfill Akshay’s legacy, but full points to him for trying – he even does the patriotic dialogue to good effect. Parineeti Chopra is growing as an actress with every film and the only way for her is up.
Parineeti Chopra is back after a while, and the difference shows. She is in the process of reinventing herself, and this could be a good beginning to a new chapter in her performance graph. Arjun Kapoor will next be seen in India’s Most Wanted, which will be an out and out actioner. So, it’s good to see him in a fun, frothy role with the right amount of drama.