Dream Girl 2 review: Ayushmann Khurrana entertains as Pooja in this comedy of errors

Starting from Vicky Donor (2012), Ayushmann Khurrana has always tried to push the envelope with his on-screen characters. There has always been an effort to do something different, even when he has done films in the slapstick zone.

For example, in Dream Girl (2019), Ayushmann’s Karam has an impressive ability to imitate a female voice. This comes from his experience of playing female characters in plays. In his desperation to find a job, he starts working at a call centre with the name of Pooja.

In Dream Girl 2, writer and director Raaj Shaandiliyaa goes one step ahead with Ayushmann becoming Pooja to the extent of wearing sexy sarees as well.

Synopsis

Dream Girl 2 is none other than Karamveer aka Karam (Ayushmann Khurrana). He and Pari (Ananya Pandey) are deeply in love and want to get married as soon as possible. However, there is a loan that Karam has to clear.

This loan is his father Jagit Singh’s (Annu Kapoor). Karam doesn’t have a stable job. In his desperation to earn money, Karam transforms himself into a bar dancer by the name of Pooja with some persuasion from his dad and best friend Smiley (Manjot Singh).

Pooja impresses everyone with her dance moves. Running parallel to this is the track of a Muslim patriarch, Abbu Saleem (Paresh Rawal). Smiley loves Abbu Saleem’s daughter, and she also reciprocates, but there is a hurdle in the form of Abhishek Banerjee’s Shah Rukh.

Shah Rukh is the son of Abbu Saleem, who has depression problems. Abbu Saleem tells the loving couple that he will agree to their marriage only after his son comes out of depression. Smiley convinces Karam to become a female psychiatrist. However, this only ends up in further complications which can’t be elaborated here.

What follows is an assemblage of funny situations with one thing leading to another.

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On the shoulders of Ayushmann Khurrana

Not surprisingly the biggest strength of Dream Girl 2 is Ayushmann Khurrana. The actor effortlessly switches between the roles of Karam and Pooja. He is particularly impressive in the female avatar.

The actor leaves you thoroughly charmed with his body language, make-up and dance moves. The actor’s comic timing also leaves the audience in splits throughout. For example, there is a scene where Abhishek Banerjee tries to seduce Pooja, and the latter’s wig comes off.

Pooja starts shrieking, “Hairfall, hairfall.” The humour in Dream Girl 2 isn’t of the intelligent type but Ayushmann along with the supporting cast keeps the proceedings engaging.

Other performances

Out of the numerous subplots my favorite is the one involving Seema Pahwa’s Jumani. She has been through multiple marriages and is absolutely unapologetic about her desire to find true love. At one point she falls head over heels in love with Karam. Seema Pahwa aces the part with her uninhibited act.

The scenes between Abhishek Banerjee and Ayushmann are also good to watch. Abhishek Banerjee’s role doesn’t have much scope for comedy, but still, both the actors feed off each other well.

The music composed by Meet Bros, Tanishk Bagchi and Arko has a good variety. Special mention must be made of the songs picturised on Ayushmann in the role of Pooja.

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Final take

What pulls Dream Girl 2 down is the elongated second half. The comedy of errors runs out of steam as there isn’t much meat left by then.

In the pre-climax, Karam has a monologue with undertones of social commentary about middle-class angst, but this doesn’t gel well with the overall tonality.

(Views expressed here are personal.)