Dolly Ki Doli
Director: Abhishek Dogra
Starring: Sonam Kapoor, Rajkummar Rao, Pulkit Samrat, Archana Puran Singh
Three stars
In Dolly Ki Doli, Bollywood's biggest fashionista Sonam Kapoor ditches (at least in part) her glam persona and takes on a role more complex than any she has ever attempted.
Dolly is a pretty young thing who runs a quick-yielding scam: she pretends to fall in love with rich men then tricks them into marrying her, before making off with as many of their material possessions as she can on the wedding day. Throw in a Punjabi mother, a Rajasthani prince and a Haryanvi partner-in-crime, and you’ve got flavours covering a broad swath of India.
Dolly's first victim, Sonu (the ever-understated Rajkummar Rao) is head over heels in love with her. Archana Puran Singh, one of Bollywood's beloved supporting actors, plays the brash mum of one of Dolly's victims. And Pulkit Samrat delivers a standout performance as police officer Robin Singh, who distinctly evokes Salman Khan's Dabangg character Inspector Chulbul Pandey.
While witty one-liners and slapstick comedy keep the audience entertained, the director Abhishek Dogra (who also co-wrote the film) valiantly tries but fails to justify Dolly’s life of petty crime in this feel-good romp.
However, if all you’re looking for is some laughs, then the ensemble cast will ensure you get the bang for your buck. And you just might leave the cinema with a newfound respect for Kapoor’s acting skills.
• Dolly Ki Doli opened in cinemas on Thursday, January 22. Read an interview with Sonam Kapoor
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