Bewakoofiyaan

Plot

Mohit Chadha (Ayushmann Khurrana) learns how to drive a car on the morning of his promotion from Junior Executive in Marketing to Senior Executive. He goes for lunch with Mayera (Sonam Kapoor) after the promotion, where he proposes to her. Meanwhile, Mayera's father, V.K. Sehgal (Rishi Kapoor), is transferred to Animal Husbandry. V.K. Sehgal does not approve of their wedding, as he thinks Mohit would not be able to provide for her and give her happiness. V.K. goes to Mohit's office and challenges him: if he passes a test, then he can marry Mayera. He calls Mohit to the club everyday to play squash. V.K. gets a retirement gift from all his staff.

When V.K. sees on the news that Mohit has lost his job, he visits Mayera's office to see if it is true. Mayera calls Mohit, and, not being there, Imi picks up his phone and talks to her. Mayera fakes talking to Mohit in front of her dad and acts like his job is safe. Mayera goes to his office, where she sees him give a interview and pulls him away. V.K. inquires about Mohit from the police about criminal cases. Mayera emails Mohit a list of vacant jobs. He gives interviews at different places but is rejected everywhere. When he is at an interview, Mayera's father calls and says he is coming to Mohit's office. When Imi distracts him, Mohit quickly goes the other way, reaches another cubicle, and leaves to have lunch with V.K., where V.K. shows him his criminal case list. Mohit does not have money to pay for lunch, and V.K. pays, but because his card is not working, he is unable to return money. Mohit receives calls from everywhere to return money; he calls Mayera and she gives him ₹50,000.

The next night at Mayera's birthday, Mohit greets her with a kiss. Next day, when Mohit asks Mayera for money for his apartment. She does not have it, and they have a fight. Mohit sells his car, gives Mayera her money back, and they break-up. The same day, V.K. calls Mohit and Mayera, as he got a interview call and engagement rings; V.K. learns that he is jobless. Mohits leaves his apartment, rents a smaller place, and joins a cafe. Meanwhile, Mayera accepts a Dubai transfer and goes there for a week. When she returns, she shows her dad their new apartment and takes out their passports. He goes to Mohit's old office and asks Imi where he is. Imi takes him to the car garage manager, who takes them to the cafe. V.K. visits the cafe and orders food cheaply. V.K. tells Mohit that Mayera is going to Dubai. Back at home, their maid, Radha starts crying. Mohit goes to their house and screams out for Mayera; V.K. lectures him, and Mohit tells V.K. that he is being uncool. Mayera tells her dad that it is enough, and Mohit is a National Level under 16 silver medalist in squash but still kept losing to V.K. She tells him that she does not have fun shopping without him because there is nobody to say, "Very Hot, Khaa Jau Tere Ko". V.K. prepares for the interview in a suit with four pockets, then changes clothes, and goes to Mohit's apartment to get a tie. The couple go to the coffee shop, where V.K. comes back as the CEO of the company.

Cast

Production

The film was announced in December 2012. Bewakoofiyaan was written by Habib Faisal (of Ishaqzaade fame) and directed by Nupur Asthana (of Mujhse Fraaandship Karoge fame). It is a "slice of life" film, set during a recession. Ayushmann Khurrana's and Sonam Kapoor's characters are described as being "passionately in love" and believe that their love can help them survive. However, Kapoor's father strongly disagrees.

Ayushmann Khurrana, Sonam Kapoor and Rishi Kapoor were cast in December 2013. Ayushmann and Sonam are paired opposite each other for the first time, with Rishi Kapoor cast in the role of Sonam Kapoor's father.

Shooting began in February 2013 in Delhi and Gurgaon. Part of the filming took place in Dubai.

Soundtrack

The soundtrack was composed by Raghu Dixit, while the lyrics were penned by Anvita Dutt, except where noted. Dixit was the music composer for Asthana's last film, Mujhse Fraaandship Karoge. The song "O Heeriye" is a bonus track on the soundtrack.

Critical reception

Bewakoofiyaan received mixed responses from critics.

Taran Adarsh of Bollywood Hungama praised it, saying the film was a "pleasant surprise" with "super performances of [sic] Rishi, Ayushmann and Sonam, watertight writing, skilled direction and dollops of humor." Ultimately, he gave 4.5 out of 5 stars. Saibal Chatterjee in his review for NDTV described the film to score "with its disarming simplicity" thereby "never less than watchable". Tushar Joshi reviewing for Daily News and Analysis stated it to miss out on the "opportunity to be smarter and funnier" by playing "too safe to rise above the ordinary". Madhureeta Mukherjee in her review for The Times of India stated the film to have its share of beauty but falters with a helpless script".

According to Rajeev Masand of CNN-IBN, ″Asthana directs with an easy hand, but she's saddled with a dead duck of a script that simply can't be saved.″

In a review for Hindustan Times by Anupama Chopra stated, "This is one of those films that doesn't either offend or engage. It just goes on, in a bland, listless manner, until we hit happily ever after." She praised Khuranna's performance, saying, "The strongest performance here is Ayushmann's. His anger and frustration at losing the good life are palpable." Concerning Sonam Kapoor's performance, she said, "Sonam looks lovely. She attempts to imbue Mayera with some texture but it's an uphill climb."

Rahul Desai of the Mumbai Mirror wrote ″This is the kind of middling film that one doesn't know what to make of. It looks clean, simple and doesn't boast of any highs or lows. Everything, including the change of heart(s), is predictable. To be fair, the screenplay doesn't aspire to blow your socks off. Even director Nupur Asthana (Mujhse Fraaandship Karoge) seems to have made her peace with that.″ He ended with ″Bewakoofiyaan isn't Nupur Asthana's best effort (out of two), but I'm still going to look forward to her next. All she needs is an ambitious screenplay and a voice—perhaps her own?″

Danny Bowes from RogerEbert.com gave it 2.5 stars, writing, ″The movie is perfectly acceptable middle-of-the-road romantic comedy material, and for fans of such things it should certainly hit the spot.″

The New York Times critic Andy Webster wrote "This tale of a yuppie couple (played by Ayushmann Khurrana and Sonam Kapoor) flirts with intriguing notions of recessionary struggle, though strained, contrived humour bogs it down... It is the question of money's influence on passion and relationships that gives Ms. Asthana's movie what dramatic traction it has."

Box office

The film made on a budget of ₹220 million (US$3.4 million) including promotional expense of ₹80 million (US$1.2 million) released on 14 March 2014.

Domestic

Bewakoofiyaan opened to poor response on the first day of its release. It went on to collect ₹20 million (US$310,000)—₹22.5 million (US$350,000) on its first day. It managed to collect ₹67.5 million (US$1.1 million) over the first three days of its release showing very little growth on it second day, which Box Office India claimed was necessary for a multiplex-oriented film like itself. It collected another ₹60 million (US$940,000) to end up with a collection of ₹128 million (US$2.0 million) over the first week of its release.

Overseas

A report by Rentrak states the film collected in the first three days US$46,888 (INR 2864,000) releasing in 51 theatres in United States; $20,850 (INR 1274,000) releasing in 15 theatres in Canada; 33,620 pounds (INR 3412,000) in 26 theatres in United Kingdom and Ireland; 22,145 Australian dollar (INR 1228,000) in Australia with a screen count of 14; and 12,558 New Zealand dollar (INR 656,000) in New Zealand where it has released in 1 theatre.