Huge Production, Pratisaad ProduÂctions, Triple Ace EntertainÂment and Bandish Studios’ Girlfriend (Marathi; UA) is a love story.
Nachiket (Amey Wagh) and his parents (Kavita Lad and Yatin Karyekar) are unhappy because while his friends are all married, he isn’t. Why, he doesn’t even have a girlfriend. Nachiket tries to make a girlfriend on Facebook and succeeds when one Alisha likes him on Facebook. His parents and friends, Aditya (Uday Nene) and Sandy (Suyog Gore), are thrilled. But since he doesn’t know what Alisha looks like, he tries to pass off a pretty-looking Payal (Sai Tamhankar) as Alisha on Facebook when he finds Payal’s photo on Facebook. He puts up Payal’s photograph as that of Alisha.
Payal lands in India from Spain and confronts Nachiket, giving him an ultimatum to correct the wrong he had done. But she realises that Nachiket is a simpleton and his parents are happy that he finally has a girlfriend. So, despite having a boyfriend, Pedro, in Spain, she feigns romance with Nachiket. She asks Nachiket also to play along so that his parents don’t get a shock.
Then, one day, Payal and Nachiket decide to end their fake relationship. They feign a fight in front of his parents and friends, who get a shock. Soon, Pedro also comes to India and has a showdown with Payal for staying away from him for so long.
So what happens finally? Does Payal unite in matrimony with Nachiket or with Pedro?
Upendra Sidhaye’s story is not very convincing. His screenplay is also often an example of writing of convenience. It almost appears as if the element of Facebook has been brought in to give an age-old love story a contemporary angle – but, of course, it hardly helps. The audience feels entertained in parts, mainly because of double-meaning dialogues.
Amey Wagh does a fine job as Nachiket. Sai Tamhankar shines in the role of Payal/Alisha. Rasika Sunil does quite well as Shweta. Uday Nene (as Aditya), Isha Keskar (as Aditya’s wife, Kaveri), Suyog Gore (as Sandy), Yatin Karyekar (as Nachiket’s father), Kavita Lad (as Nachiket’s mother) and others lend decent support.
Upendra Sidhaye’s direction is alright. Music (Hrishikesh Datar, Saurabh Bhalerao and Jasraj Jayant Joshi) is appealing. Kshitij Patwardhan’s lyrics are nice. Song picturisations are appealing. Saurabh Bhalerao’s background music is effective. Milind Jog does a fine job of the cinematography. Ashok Lokare’s sets are of a decent standard. Faizal-Imran’s editing is fair.
On the whole, Girlfriend is a below-average fare.
Released on 26-7-’19 at Bharatmata (daily 1 show) and other cinemas of Bombay thru AA Films. Publicity: so-so. Opening: poor.