That feeling when you are transported into another world. That. Meri Pyaari Bindu gives you that feeling. It is not a fairy tale, not by a long shot. It is not fantasy. It is actually quite real. Where the heart wants what it wants and you know not why. When the heart doesn't want what you think it should want and you know not why. Sure, the feeling doesn't stay through the film, but it sticks around for most of it.

makes you sob for you remembered that one heartbreak that took your faith in relationships away from you

The childhood bits in the film are quite jarring. The manner in which little Bindu calls little Bubla over seems too grown-up. But then, it might be what Bubla remembers and that might be just fair enough. Because Meri Pyaari Bindu is clearly Bubla's (Ayushman Khurana) point of view. And the actor makes Bubla very real. He is enamoured by Bindu. Though you don't know why, you feel he is justified because of the way he is. It matters little who Bindu is and what she is like.

Bindu's (Parineeti Chopra) confusion, on the other hand, is all too familiar in the new-age Hindi rom-coms at least. The woman stands her own but she doesn't really know what she wants, she is free and full of life. She might seem and be directionless too. But she is comfortable with that. Parineeti Chopra brings all of this to life and more. Bindu's vulnerability is as apparent as her mischevious self.

The gripe could be that we don't get a proper peek into her confusion. It makes the story half-told and leaves you wanting to know more. But, that would be another film because this is Bubla's story. His unfulfilling journey through this love.

You go back and forth in time with Bubla as he sifts through the pages of the new book he is writing; through an mix audio tape that he recorded with Bindu that takes him back in time and brings him back to the present day. While this non-linear narration doesn't come in the way of our entertainment, it still feels like an escape by the writers. It does seem like they came up with a baseline boy-meets-girl story, a few scenes and they moved the scenes around till they found an interesting flow. Similarly, while the voiceover feels completely justified in the beginning, there is no real use for its overuse through the film. But, it doesn't come in the way of how engaged you are with the film.

It is actually quite real. Where the heart wants what it wants and you know not why. When the heart doesn't want what you think it should want and you know not why.

I didn't mind this gimmickry though. Because except for a few sequences here and there, I was hooked to Bubla's feelings. The dialogue is meaningful and relatable. Not in a “quote of the day” kind of a way but still insightful. The laughs are frequent and the hindi film references are absolutely perfect. Right to the reference to today's other release, Sarkar 3. Otherwise, these nods to olden times seem forced and take your attention away from the main story. Here, they blend with the story and add to it. The climax is one of the most satisfying ones in a long time. It might or might not be the one you are hoping for, but it rings true.

Also, this must be the first film in which I enoyed the peppy number better than the romantic ones. Sure, it was out of place in the flow of the film and existed just because it had to be there by Hindi movie standards. Nevertheless, fun it was. The lyrics of the other songs are soulful too.

Meri Pyaari Bindu is that rom-com that doesn't offer much new, but it still engages, entertains and makes you sob for you remembered that one heartbreak that took your faith in relationships away from you.

- meeta, a part of the audience