Relationships are always complicated. And where there are more than two people entwined, there are complications galore. Gehraiyaan, on the surface, promises a deep dive into this world of emotions, but it doesn't get deep enough. All you are left with is a half-baked attempt at a cliffhanger and an unconvincing sort of end.
Here's a quick snapshot of the story (of course the trailer already revealed that, but still...) Alisha, a yoga instructor lives with her partner Karan, a former ad executive and aspiring writer in that part of Mumbai where most of the city lives. Then there is Tia, Alisha's rich cousin, and her boyfriend Zain. The four get together on a trip to Alibaug and this outing changes the course of their lives. Alisha and Zain find they share a lot in common with each other than they do with their partners. And as all things 'illicit' this does not end well (well, sort of...) for either of them!
Talking about the performances, Deepika Padukone as Alisha is gorgeous. She absorbs you into her emotional struggle and you are with her riding the waves. Siddhant Chaturvedi gives a nuanced performance as Zain. But his interactions with Deepika seem awkward at times and not convincing enough. Their chemistry is technical, almost rehearsed. Ananya Pandey as Tia, is Ananya Pandey. She has her moments and this is probably her first 'acting performance'. Dhairya Karwa as Karan is sweet and lovable. He could be so easily ignored amongst all these actors, but he manages to stand out. But the performance that takes the cake is Naseeruddin Shah. As Alisha's father, he proves once again that he is one of the best actors this country has seen. He engulfs you in his pain every time he is onscreen.
The film is slow-paced, but that does not hinder the story which has layers and twists (I was able to predict one of them almost in the beginning). But the way the plot unfolds, somehow somewhere is all very cosmetic. Everything is too beautiful and too perfect... even the flaws. The conflicts that Shakun Batra was able to showcase in Kapoor & Sons, elude us in Gehraiyaan. The only time I was really drawn into the story was during the interactions between Alisha and her father. The aspect that really stands out is the musical score by Kabeer Kathpalia and Savera Mehta. It is able to capture the drama on-screen much better than the dialogues at times.
To sum it up, Gehraiyaan is an emotional wave that just drenches you. The wet sand under your feet feels good, but you long for the deeper secrets of the ocean!
Gehraiyaan is streaming on Amazon Prime Video.