(Crisp) Movie Review: WHAT’S LOVE GOT TO DO WITH IT? by FENIL SETA

What’s Love Got To Do With It? is a British romcom directed by Shekhar Kapur. It stars not just British but also Pakistani and Indian actors, including Shabana Azmi. The film is a simple, uncomplicated and light-hearted family entertainer and gives a déjà vu of Gurinder Chadha’s films like Bride & Prejudice and Bend It Like Beckham. Shekhar Kapur has handled a few moments and also the celebration of different cultures with ease. The finale is lovely. The length (108 minutes) is also just fine. On the flipside, there was a lot of scope for humour and the makers faltered on this aspect. The chemistry between the leads is not as electrifying as it should have been. There are also jerks in the edit though this is a minor complaint. Speaking of performances, Lily James is lovely as the lead protagonist. Shazad Latif looks dashing and gives a first-rate performance. Shabana Azmi, as expected, is dependable. Emma Thompson plays an over-the-top character but performs ably. Sajal Aly looks stunning and gives a subtle and impactful performance. Iman Boujelouah (Yasmin) is okay and her character’s traits are not well defined. Oliver Chris (James; vet) is decent. Rahat Fateh Ali Khan leaves a mark in a cameo. All in all, What’s Love Got To Do With It? makes for a nice, breezy watch.

My rating – *** out of 5!

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