Ajeeb Daastaans Review: Remarkable Performances and Incredible Story Telling

Name: Ajeeb Daastaans

Star Cast: Fatima Sana Shaikh, Jaideep Ahlawat, Konkona Sen Sharama, Aditi Rao Hydari, Shefali Shah, Manav Kaul, Nushrat Bharucha, Abhishek Banerjee, Inayat Verma, Tota Roy Chowdhary

Directors: Neeraj Ghaywan, Raj Mehta, Kayoze Irani, and Shashank Khaitan

Streaming Platform: Netflix

Filmyhype Ratings: 4/5 (four stars) [yasr_overall_rating size=”large”]

Ajeeb Daastaans is an anthology compilation where four different stories contain contingent situations through which uneasy feelings emerge within scattered relationships. All four stories take the characters to a place where no one had thought. These stories contain jealousy, prejudice, recklessness, entitlement and poisoning. Also, these films have been successful in creating surprises.

The four films portray women in multiple layers, which gives them strength and a suspense. Especially the films of Raj Mehta, Neeraj Ghewan and Kayoz Irani, ‘Toy’, ‘Gili Puchi’ and ‘Anakhi’ make this anthology quite interesting. ‘Ajeeb Daastan’ is available for streaming on Netflix from 16 April 2021.

Ajeeb Daastaans Review and Story

Part 1: Majnu by Shashank Khaitan Review

The first story is directed by Shashank Khaitan. Lipakshi (Fatima Sana Sheikh) and Bablu (Jaideep Ahlawat) are a married couple whose marriage is a ‘wedding of alliance’. Bablu says as soon as he enters the room- “If we loved someone else, you will never be in love with you. Sorry, I will not say because both families have benefited from this marriage.” Lipakshi stumbles for a moment and then exasperates – “Why are all the men of this country?” From the very first scene, the director establishes that this marriage relationship is not only for the society, but the feelings are not mere feelings. But Lipakshi is not an intimidating, coerced or coerced girl. She wants a man in her life who she meets Raj (Armaan Rahlan), the son of Bablu’s driver. Raj and Lipakshi’s love story begins to flourish under Bablu’s nose. Now what is the result of their love story and how the most important aspect of Bablu’s life comes open in the meantime! It is interesting to see.

Story Of Complicated Feelings

The story of this film is written by Shashank Khaitan, which is about 30 minutes. This story of broken relationships and entangled emotions is mediocre or can be said that there is no newness. The characters are strong, but only attract Jaideep Ahlawat in terms of acting. Fatima’s effort is good, but she is not able to bring the sensuality in her body, which needs a story. Pushkar Singh’s cinematography is good and picks up the story a bit.

Part 2: Khilauna by Raj Mehta Review

The strongest of the four stories, which completely manages to surprise you. The director of the film is Raj Mehta. The story divides the society into two classes – one is Kothiwale and the other is Katiwale. In one scene, Meenal (Nushrratt Bharruccha) complains to Sushil (Abhishek Banerjee) – “These kothis are not close to anyone.” Sushil does the ironing work by setting up a small shop outside the society. Whereas Meenal works in one of these kothis and puts electricity in her house by putting a katiya on the electrical wires of the society. Some untoward incident happens in the middle when the three, Meenal, Binny and Sushil want to punish this ‘Kothiwale’. When, where and what kind of punishment? You will tremble after seeing this.

Great Direction And Acting Director

Raj Mehta has kept pace in this film so much that it does not allow to be bored even for a minute. The script of the film is very tight, written by Sumit Saxena. The trio of Abhishek Banerjee, Inayat Verma and Nusrat have done justice to their characters. Nusrat’s character has a powerless, fast and cleverness, which the actress has done well. The cinematography of Jishnu Bhattacharya is worthy of praise.

Part 3: Geeli Puchhi, by Neeraj Ghaywan Review

Directed by Neeraj Ghewan, the story tries to bring together several themes and the director has also been successful to some extent. Konkona Sen Sharma and Aditi Rao Hydari are great actors and the duo’s coming together adds strength and newness to the story. Bharti Mandal (Konkona Sen Sharma) works as a machine-man in the factory, where she has been trying to get the position of data operator for a long time. He has full faith in his abilities.

She gets praise, but not the post .. because she comes from ‘backward caste’. The factory owner instead joins a new girl, Priya Sharma (Aditi Rao Hydari). Both are opposite women from each other. The friendship ensues between the two after the initial altercation, and then the conversation progresses to friendship. But Priya is married and unwilling to believe that he is gay. She calls it ‘sickness’. She is bound by social rules and thinking. While Bharti goes through inconveniences every day. She also breaks, but she is strong.

Directors Touch Many Topics

The screenplay of the film is written by Neeraj Ghewan, through which he touches topics like casteism and homosexuality. The writing of the film is very steady, but the speed you want in the story in half an hour, leaves somewhere here. There is a bitterness in the characters here, but she does not prick. All the actors have done justice to their character. Especially Konkona Sen Sharma wins the heart. Siddharth Divan’s cinematography is beautiful.

Part 4: Ankahi, by Kayoze Irani Review

The fourth and final film is director Kayoze Irani. The simplest but the deepest to say. Natasha (Shefali Shah) and Rohan (Tota Roy Chaudhary) have a daughter, Samaira (Sara Arjun), who has a slow hearing ability. Natasha teaches sign language to communicate with her, but keeps increasing distance from Rohan’s daughter, busy with her work. Not only the daughter, but also the relationship between Natasha and Rohan is just like a castle of sand, which can be broken at any time. In such a situation, Natasha meets a photographer (Manav Kaul), who cannot speak and hear.

Both speak in sign language. In the first meeting, there is a close relationship between the two. Gradually, the two spend a lot of time with each other. But will Natasha dare to get away from the relationships and family she has built? Both Manav Kaul and Shefali Shah are very well cast in their roles. Despite not having any communication together, their words reach the heart. His facial expressions are brilliant. Kayoze has been very successful in showing the speculations of the Christian relationship. A tight screenplay written by Uzma Khan makes this film strong.

Ajeeb Daastaans: The Star Performances

For Majnu, I really feel that Jaideep Ahlawat has carried out a implausible job. In a way, Ahlawat carried the story on his again. Fatima Sana Shaikh and Arman Rahlan don’t deliver something notably new to their characters and it appears like old wine in new bottles.

Youngster actress Inayat Verma as Binny in Khilauna stole the show of all of the actors within the short movie. She was very a lot current within the state of affairs she was performing in and by no means went overboard and even beneath with exhibiting her feelings. Abhishek Banerjee was effectively suited as Sushil as he wore the pores and skin of his character like a chunk to the puzzle. Nushrratt Bharruccha may do with slightly sharpening because it was arduous to consider her character Meenal who comes from a background starkly totally different from the established order of earlier characters the actress has portrayed.

Aditi Rao Hydari and Konkona Sen Sharma as Priya Sharma and Bharti Mondal in Geeli Puchhi had been a pleasure to look at. They dropped at their characters little particulars, in the way in which they walked, spoke, smiled and even tugged at part of their clothes that introduced their avatars alive onscreen.

Shefali Shah, Manav Kaul, Tota Roy Choudhary had been mesmerizing onscreen in Ankahi. The chemistry between Shefali Shah as Natasha and Manav Kaul as Kabir outstanding onscreen.

Ajeeb Daastaans: What Good What Bad

The strongest aspects of the film include direction and character. Clearly among the four stories, ‘Majnu’ is the weakest, which is the first film. After that, the journey of three films passes like a fast train. One interesting character after another comes to you, winning hearts, the stories startle you. Konkona Sen Sharma – Aditi Rao Hydari and Shefali Shah – Manav Kaul pair is the best.

Ajeeb Daastaans: The Last Words

All 4 stories deliver some new and totally different even after being under the same roof. They showed the artistic imaginative and prescient of the totally different directors and gave a glimpse into the place they arrive from.  ‘Ajeeb Daastaans’ is a good anthology based on the rhetoric of relationships. If you like such topics, then you can definitely see the compilation of these four films. 4 Stars for ‘Ajeeb Daastaans’ from Filmyhype.