…at the heart of this film are its delightful leads. The ambitious but straightforward Shruti Kakkar, played with a zeal we haven’t seen before in Anushka Sharma’s previous roles. And Ranveer Singh as the unpolished but lovable Bittoo Sharma, who steals the film with a confident, uninhibited performance that is the best thing about this film.

Band Baaja Baaraat works smartly as a sociological study of saddi Dilli, with moods, moments and characters that crisply capture the life on the other side of the neon lights. Like Dibakar Banerjee and Rakeysh Mehra, director Maneesh Sharma chooses to look the other way and talk about the earthy, emotional, rough-edged quintessential Dilliwala who peppers his language with street talk, doesn’t believe in minding his Ps and Qs, revels in an in-your-face attitude and cocks a snook at the HS (high-society) people…

There’s no proverbial chemistry between the leading couple, and that makes for a film of its own. Not this one. Another Delhi movie, maybe. “Love degi, degi love? (Will you give me love),” he seriously proposes. You know what the answer’s going to be. But you want to laugh.

The script is fresh and debutant director Maneesh Sharma does full justice to it. The movie is well written and the director has handled the subject really well. He has executed the light moments as well as subtle emotions amazingly well.

The first half, in which him and Shruti set up their company is great fun, with weddings and struggle and a mid-point twist that will surprise you. Even Anushka, who has been tediously bland in the films she’s done so far comes into her own as the ambitious Delhi girl, who dreams of upgrading to multi-crore Sainik Farms weddings. Sadly, the second half is a big let down with too much fighting, stretched-out wedding sequences and even an item number in which Bittoo and Shruti fill in for Shah Rukh Khan who can’t dance at the wedding because he hurts his leg.

Learn a little Punjabi yes, and grit your teeth for the tuneless wedding songs, but watch the film for its energy and for its lead pair who are charmingly unaffected.

On the whole, Band Baaja Baaraat catches you with complete surprise. It has an appealing plot, which has been handled with dexterity and most importantly, it has characters that instantly make a place for themselves in your heart.

Anushka Sharma delivers a spirited performance. She suits her role perfectly. But the real star of the film is debutante Ranveer Singh. He has an amazing screen presence and performs his role impeccably. Right from his dialogue delivery to his body language, everything is just right.

Debutant director Maneesh Sharma brings Delhi alive like few filmmakers have in recent years. His confidence with his craft shows. The script is mostly fluid with the rare weak moments but what really holds up the two-hour flick are its lead pair. For someone who’s two films old (Anushka) and a debutant (Ranveer) to entertain with josh and a fervent energy without a single big name in any frame calls for appreciation.

Bravo, Yashraj for bringing such exceptional new talent to our cinema. Bravo, debutant director Maneesh Sharma for taking us through the organised chaos of traditional weddings in movements of pure pleasure and enjoyment that communicate themselves to the audience. Hours after watching the film, I’ve still not stopped smiling.

What impresses from beginning till the end of this effort from debutant director Maneesh Sharma is the fact that never once does ‘Band Baaja Baaraat’ leave it’s own character. It retains a certain authenticity to it throughout its length that makes the proceedings believable and the kind that one can easily relate to.

Indeed it is refreshing to see a film about weddings that is neither loud nor preaching customs and archaic traditions. Instead, Sharma brings us a reflection of evolving India that still loves its shaadis and all the drama that comes with it…a bright, dancy, feel-good movie that doesn’t insult your intelligence. What’s not to like?

Hindi mainstream cinema, despite its predictability, can at times leave you with a smile on your face and a song in your heart. Band Baaja Baaraat is one such endearing film. The story might be the usual: boy meets girl, they get into a misunderstanding and eventually come together again. However, what makes it special is that it feels delightfully real, is strongly rooted in contemporary Delhi middle class.