Nitesh Tiwari is a director who created a strong niche for himself with the likes of Dangal (2016) and Chhichhore (2019). As a result, a lot was expected from Bawaal.
Varun Dhawan (Ajay Dixit) plays a dishonest man-child who is a history teacher in Lucknow. He also cannot ‘accept’ his wife, Nisha (Janhvi Kapoor) 9 months into their rushed marriage.
His self-image crashes when he slaps a student for asking a question about World War 2. The student’s father is an MLA (Mukesh Tiwari). Ajju is suspended.
He plans a course to travel across Europe to teach history live. In order to convince his father (Manoj Pahwa), he paints a picture of wanting to repair his relationship.
The rest of Bawaal is about how Ajju undergoes a transformation for the better. Nitesh Tiwari needs to be appreciated for the use of World War II as a narrative device.
Alia’s Vaidehi in Badrinath Ki Dulhania had far more spine, though she eventually ends up with Badri. But that was only after he changes, and becomes a better person.
The biggest issue with Bawaal is the lack of a strong foundation for the love story between Nisha and Ajju. Bawaal also suffers from a morose tone of storytelling.
The music composed by Mithoon and others isn’t bad but could have been much better, given the genre of the film. In a nutshell, Bawaal is a huge downfall for Nitesh Tiwari.