An unusual idea with loud comedy
“Ram And Leela”
– Review
‘Ram And Leela’ begins with a man who has almost given up on finding a suitable bride. Ram, played by Rio Raj, has faced numerous matrimonial rejections when he develops an interest in Leela, a woman he regularly notices on a local train.
Their relationship takes an unusual turn when Leela agrees to marry him but imposes an unexpected condition: Ram must never see her after 6 pm.
The reason behind this strange rule becomes the film’s central twist. Leela belongs to an alien family whose members undergo a physical gender transformation every twelve hours. After sunset, Leela becomes a man, creating a situation that the film uses as the primary source of its comedy.
The premise has enough potential for an entertaining fantasy comedy. Ram’s response to the revelation is deliberately over-the-top, and much of the supporting cast operates at a similarly high volume.
The film also spends time on several side tracks, including Ram’s long search for a bride, unusual expectations from prospective matches and a prank call that resurfaces much later. The explanation concerning the aliens and their connection to humanity’s history is delivered rather straightforwardly.
The film becomes somewhat more entertaining when the story moves towards a village wedding. The unusual situation involving the two families creates opportunities for situational comedy, particularly when characters begin worrying about what might happen after sunset.
Munishkanth gets one of the better comic portions as a man who develops feelings for an alien and then has to deal with the consequences of the character’s transformation. The wedding-related negotiations involving the sunset deadline also produce a few genuinely amusing moments.
Rio Raj commits fully to the role. Vartika Jain takes a more restrained approach as Leela, and that contrast works in her favour. Chetan, Malavika Avinash and the rest of the supporting cast provide adequate support, although most of them have limited scope to make a lasting impression.
There are enough amusing moments to keep the film moving, particularly during the wedding portions, but the uneven writing prevents the unusual premise from reaching its full potential. ‘Ram And Leela’ is an eccentric fantasy comedy with a promising central concept.
Rating: 3.5 out of 5
