Review of ‘Bad Newz’ Movie: Despite Vicky Kaushal’s Moves, the Love Triangle Falls Flat.

In the hilarious 2019 movie Good Newwz, a mix-up during IVF treatment results in Akshay Kumar and Diljit Dosanjh getting their wives, played by Kareena Kapoor Khan and Kiara Advani, pregnant by mistake. Fast forward to Bad Newz, where Dharma Productions seems to be creating a unique franchise, possibly a pregnancy-themed series. This installment features a comedic rivalry between a Punjabi guy and a turbaned Sikh, highlighting the realization that a woman’s body is not a prize in their competition. Looking ahead, I can envision a third installment involving a news anchor entangled in a love triangle with two colleagues, leading to a fake pregnancy scheme for leave. Returning to Part 2, Bad Newz starts off a bit forced, introducing an unnecessary cameo by Ananya Panday and diving into Saloni Bagga’s story falling for Akhil Chadha’s dance moves at a Punjabi party.

Things don’t go well for Saloni and Akhil as they decide to part ways. After a slow start, the real drama unfolds. One night, in a bold move fueled by alcohol, Saloni ends up with Gurbirsingh Pannu, a kind-hearted guy. Simultaneously, Akhil shows up at her door with a cake and an apology. To everyone’s surprise, six weeks later, Saloni discovers she’s expecting twins with a rare case of heteropaternal superfecundation—meaning both Akhil and Gurbir are fathers. Let the competition for the best dad begin. The movie Bad Newz loses its charm due to a dragged-out, shaky storyline. The whole sequence of Saloni’s relationships seems contrived, perhaps to cater to a more traditional audience. The film feels like a collection of jokes loosely strung together. One scene focuses on Vicky’s fear of using a new phone, which falls flat. Vicky Kaushal’s attempts to enliven the scenes are commendable, but the script lacks depth. Triptii Dimri seems out of place in the comedy, while Ammy Virk brings a sense of calmness to the chaotic film. However, he often becomes a target for Vicky’s pranks. Neha Dhupia’s role as Triptii’s progressive aunt feels disjointed, always impeccably dressed for some unknown reason.

The movie tries to be funny by referencing other romantic comedies or poking fun at the actors’ real and reel lives. Triptii Dimri is known as the ‘national crush’ and ‘Bhabhi 2’. They throw in jokes about Vicky Kaushal’s role in Manmarziyaan (2018) and make comments about Katrina Kaif. Ammy Virk seems to be the only one fully embracing his character, not just playing a version of himself off-screen. They use sentimental background music from Dharma Films in strange situations to try and get some laughs. Speaking of music, the background score not only introduces characters but also hints at their actions. For instance, if Sukhi mama is playing detective, the music goes ‘Jaasoos’ (detective), and if someone’s being followed, you hear ‘Come follow me’. You catch the drift.

Before the movie hit the screens, they hyped up the songs of Bad Newz as its selling point. I hoped the songs would offer a break from the chaos happening on screen. Sadly, they ended up as just small blips in an already messy storyline. The sultry ‘Jaanam’, with Vicky and Triptii, felt like a commercial for something else. And as for the catchy ‘Tauba Tauba’, I was looking forward to Vicky’s dance moves, but by then, I was too worn out. I quietly slipped away.

Film: Bad Newz

Director: Anand Tiwari

Cast: Vicky Kaushal, Triptii Dimri, Ammy Virk, and Neha Dhupia