Hindi cinema has often used role reversals and mistaken identities to build comedy, particularly when a male protagonist finds himself pretending to be a woman. Nakhrewaalii, directed by Rahul Shanklya, takes a similar route, placing a romantic relationship at the centre of an unusual disguise. Starring Ansh Duggal, Pragati Srivastava and Kumud Mishra, the film attempts to entertain while addressing familiar social expectations around gender and marriage.
The story follows Sumit Mishra (Ansh Duggal), a carefree young man whose confidence in his own understanding of relationships takes a hit after a breakup. He moves to Delhi to pursue further studies, where he meets Paridhi (Pragati Srivastava). What begins as a casual connection gradually develops into something more meaningful, and Sumit eventually realises that his feelings for her go beyond his initial intentions.
However, their relationship faces an unexpected obstacle. Paridhi’s parents want her to marry someone with a government job, putting Sumit in a difficult position. With his plans for a conventional future running into trouble, he adopts a female identity and becomes Sumita. The disguise brings its own complications, including unexpected attention from men, setting up the central comic situations of the film.
Ansh Duggal and Pragati Srivastava Lead With Confidence
Ansh Duggal and Pragati Srivastava are among the film’s strongest assets. Both bring confidence to their performances, and their chemistry gives the romantic portions a sense of ease. Their pairing also has the playful energy of the central couple in Band Baaja Baaraat, although the two films follow different stories.
Ansh occasionally recalls the lively screen presence associated with Ranveer Singh, particularly in the way he approaches Sumit’s energetic and impulsive personality. However, he gradually establishes his own identity as a performer. The challenge of portraying both Sumit and Sumita gives him room to explore different shades of the character, and he handles the role with an engaging screen presence.
Pragati holds her own as Paridhi. Her performance provides a steady counterpoint to Sumit’s restless personality, helping the romantic relationship remain central even as the disguise drives the comedy. Aayushi Verma and Akash Makhija also make useful contributions in their respective roles.
Kumud Mishra is particularly enjoyable to watch. His natural screen presence adds warmth to the film, while Gopal Datt delivers a decent performance as Paridhi’s father. The supporting cast generally does enough to keep the narrative moving.
Rahul Shanklya Balances Comedy With a Social Message
Director Rahul Shanklya faces a familiar challenge with a premise built around mistaken identity: keeping the humour entertaining without allowing the central disguise to become the film’s only attraction. There are moments when the storytelling loses its grip, and some situations could have been handled with greater sharpness.
However, the film deserves credit for the way it approaches its underlying message. Rather than turning the narrative into a lecture, Shanklya allows the social commentary to emerge through the characters and the situations they encounter. The film touches on assumptions about gender, relationships and the expectations placed on men and women without making every scene feel like an attempt to deliver a lesson.
That balance is important to the film’s overall appeal. Its premise offers opportunities for comedy, but the story also wants viewers to think about the attitudes behind those comic situations. Shanklya manages to bring these elements together without making the message feel excessively forced.
The direction is not equally assured throughout, and a few stretches could have benefited from tighter execution. Still, the restraint with which the film handles its broader point is one of its more appreciable qualities.
Music, Background Score and Technical Aspects
The music is another positive element. With contributions from Vayu, Vaibhav Pani, Sharan Rawat, Gaurav Chatterji and Tanishk Bagchi, the soundtrack offers a few easy-listening tracks that fit the film’s romantic and comic mood. Some songs are hummable and sit comfortably within the narrative.
Aman Pant’s background score complements the scenes without becoming distracting. It supports the film’s changing moods and does not overwhelm the performances or dialogue.
Cinematographer Chirantan Das does a decent job with the material. The story does not always provide opportunities for visually elaborate sequences, but the camera work remains effective in serving the narrative.
Abhishek Anand’s editing keeps the film largely on track. However, a little more trimming in selected portions could have improved the overall pace. Some scenes feel longer than necessary, and a tighter cut might have made the already enjoyable moments land with greater impact.
Nakhrewaalii Review: Final Verdict
Nakhrewaalii has a familiar romantic-comedy premise, but its appeal comes largely from the confidence of its lead performers and its attempt to place a social message within an entertaining story. Ansh Duggal and Pragati Srivastava share an engaging chemistry, while Kumud Mishra adds considerable warmth to the supporting cast.
Rahul Shanklya’s direction has a few uneven patches, and tighter editing could have made the film more effective. Nevertheless, the film deserves appreciation for addressing its underlying subject without becoming overly preachy.
For viewers looking for a light romantic comedy with performances to enjoy and a message to take home, Nakhrewaalii offers a worthwhile theatrical option.
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FAQs: Nakhrewaalii
1. Who are the lead actors in Nakhrewaalii?
Nakhrewaalii stars Ansh Duggal and Pragati Srivastava in the lead roles, with Kumud Mishra, Aayushi Verma, Akash Makhija and Gopal Datt in supporting roles.
2. Who directed Nakhrewaalii?
The romantic comedy is directed by Rahul Shanklya.
3. What is the story of Nakhrewaalii?
The film follows Sumit, a young man who falls in love with Paridhi. When her parents insist that she marry someone with a government job, Sumit disguises himself as a woman named Sumita, leading to unexpected complications.
4. Is Nakhrewaalii a romantic comedy?
Yes. Nakhrewaalii combines romance, comedy and mistaken-identity situations with a social message.
