Parental opposition is one of the oldest conflicts as far as love stories go. Sure, the culture clash here gives us some genuine laughs. But at 2 hours and 30 minutes, this is a long, indulgent film that wears you out. I’ve never rooted so hard for a couple to get married. If only so I could go home.

Blessed with a natural presence and lots of charisma, Woodley makes for a worthy leading lady, while Theo James broods and smolders in all the right ways as her trainer and love interest. But the film’s bland execution and its muddled message make it hard for you to connect with it.

Watch it if you must for its catchy songs, a few good laughs, and a leading man who really tries.

Too shrill, too convoluted and too dumb, O Teri is an excruciating test of your patience. The first thing I did on leaving the cinema was pop a pill for my throbbing headache. Even Salman Khan’s item song in the end can’t soften the blow.

By the end, Youngistaan spirals into an abyss of predictable plotting, as Abhimanyu learns the tricks of how to succeed in politics. It’s all unnecessarily stretched out, and co-writer/director Syed Ahmad Afzal brings nothing by way of original treatment or even radical resolution. There was potential here, but it’s wasted.

Although unsettling and horrific, the film is weighed down by its ‘standard-issue’ treatment. Lakshmi addresses a serious issue and forces us to confront a bitter reality, even offering hope in the end through the protagonist’s courageous fight for justice. But let’s not confuse the issue with the film, which is well-intentioned yet typical.

It’s not all bad, there are a handful of inspired moments. But there’s no excuse why it isn’t more fun.

Despite three likeable actors in principal roles, ‘Bewakoofiyaan’ feels lightweight instead of lighthearted. Asthana directs with an easy hand, but she’s saddled with a dead duck of a script that simply can’t be saved.

Despite the giddy pace, it soon becomes clear that there’s not enough of a story here, merely a string of gags. The thin plot is stretched out until it collapses under the weight of its contrivances, squandering a good cast, particularly Kirron Kher as the shrill Mummyji. Such a shame that the film’s central conflict evaporates conveniently and unconvincingly in a hurried, all-too-neat finale. Funny, but in a pedestrian sort of way.

If you must watch this film, watch it for Juhi Chawla’s inspired performance; it’s the only bright spot in Gulaab Gang. Muddled and forgettable.