Desi audiences might be happy to leave their brains behind—not so much their morality/judgement.
In a crowded marketplace of Bollywood releases, the film ‘Bad Newz’ attempts to serve up madcap comedy and drama but falls flat, much to the dismay of its audience. Directed by Anand Tiwari and featuring a star-studded cast including Triptii Dimri, Vicky Kaushal, and Ammy Virk, the movie is rated a mere 1.5 out of 5. The storyline centers on a meticulous chef aiming to clinch the prestigious Meraki award, an apparent allusion to the coveted Michelin star.
The film’s protagonist, portrayed by Triptii Dimri, invests her heart and soul in her culinary career, striving to win the Meraki award—a fictional accolade symbolizing exceptional culinary prowess. This endeavor makes one ponder why the actual Michelin guide has yet to establish itself in India. But as the narrative unfolds, you can’t help but feel that the filmmakers could have used some expert guidance themselves, particularly for a more coherent second half of the script.
True to its name, ‘Bad Newz’ makes no pretense of being an unflattering review of itself. The title is a clear nod to ‘Good Newwz’ (2019), a screwball comedy that delves into the chaos of sperm mix-ups between two couples opting for IVF. Produced by Karan Johar, ‘Good Newwz’ was a critical and commercial hit owing to its stellar performances, particularly by lead actor Diljit Dosanjh.
In ‘Bad Newz,’ Ammy Virk takes center stage, donning his traditional pagdi, and becomes one of the few Sikh actors to headline a Bollywood movie. Yet, comparing him to Diljit Dosanjh would be wishful thinking. Similarly, the ever-charming Vicky Kaushal fails to match the fervor of Ranveer Singh, although he successfully plays the role of a lovable Punjabi gabru from a wealthy West Delhi family.
The plot tries to weave a love triangle featuring two men and a woman, with Triptii Dimri’s character at its core. However, her portrayal of the chef appears pale and unconvincing. The storyline revolves around a bizarre scenario where “two eggs have been fertilized in the same cycle,” resulting in two potential babies with different fathers, all within the same womb. This biological anomaly, termed ‘heteropaternal superfecundation,’ stems from a single passionate night where two men end up impregnating the same woman.
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The premise, though outlandish, is not too far-fetched for Bollywood. From the get-go, the film makes its intentions clear—aiming for mass appeal through its array of songs, dances, and mainstream entertainment, specifically tapping into the Punjabi-Gujarati NRI vibe that Karan Johar adeptly markets.
However, the filmmakers may have underestimated their audience. While the story encourages viewers to momentarily suspend their intellectual faculties, it doesn’t fully exempt moral judgment. Although the script maintains societal boundaries and refrains from delving into risqué content, it offers little else in terms of substance. The female protagonist, for instance, is portrayed as an inebriated birthday girl caught in an improbable situation.
Anand Tiwari helms the project, making this his first theatrical release. His earlier directorial attempt, ‘Love Per Square Foot’ (2018) on Netflix, also featuring Vicky Kaushal, similarly struggled to leave a lasting impact. Tiwari showed promise with his genuine and innovative web series ‘Bandish Bandits’ on Amazon Prime Video, but ‘Bad Newz’ doesn’t quite capture the same magic.
Not to discount the originality of the film’s concept, it should captivate audiences at least until the midpoint. But beyond that, the film disintegrates into a mess of Bollywood clichés, rehashed jokes, and relentless insipidity. It features a remixed version of the song ‘Mere Mehboob Mere Sanam’ (duplicated from ‘Duplicate’), an ‘item song’ (‘Tauba Tauba’), and a fleeting appearance by Ananya Panday, none of which manage to resuscitate the faltering narrative.
The character portrayed by Vicky Kaushal suffers from nomophobia—the fear of being without one’s mobile phone—which ironically mirrors the audience’s own increasing boredom. Much like him, viewers may find themselves drifting back to their phones, seeking respite from the monotony on screen.
In sum, ‘Bad Newz’ is a culinary misfire, desperately in need of a script makeover. While desi audiences might be inclined to overlook minor flaws, the film’s overarching shortcomings are too glaring to ignore. Ultimately, this serves as a cautionary tale about the perils of half-baked cinematic endeavors.
