A traditional ode to eternal love and longing…
Story:
Taran (Neha Sharma) finds solace in Shekhar (Aditya Seal) while coping with the untimely death of her boyfriend Amar (Aashim Gulati). Love eventually finds a way as Shekhar helps Taran get on with her life. His companionship heals her wounds and almost mends her broken heart, until fate comes knocking…
Review: Tum Bin 2 is neither a sequel, nor a sob fest but Anubhav Sinha’s tribute to his own 2001 surprise hit ‘Tum Bin’. The second instalment is an earnest remake of the original with a few minor twists. Interestingly, Sinha retains the pulse of the original – ‘melancholy’ and breathes new life into it by altering the story a bit and casting fresh faces with most doing justice to his sensibility. But can an ‘old-fashioned’ tale appeal to the Tinder generation that is lured into judging concepts like commitment and sacrifices? It certainly does and in fact comes as a breath of fresh air, albeit with an over-sentimental second half that drags incessantly.
movie
Speaking of the high point of 'Tum Bin 2', it’s a relief to not see actors prancing around shirtless or in bikini tops to flaunt their assets for a change. If you shamelessly fancied Twilight’s Edward Cullen and his ‘I’m not nothing if not traditional’ motto, you are bound to love Aditya Seal as Shekhar, who epitomises the guilt-ridden good guy. The actor singlehandedly drives the film and is undoubtedly the soul of it. His understated charm wins you over and we hope to see more of him soon. Neha Sharma on the contrary fails to make the most of her author-backed role. She is easy on the eyes but way too wooden to evoke an emotion. Aashim Gulati has a limited scope and looks like an odd blend of Aditya Roy Kapur, Sidharth Malhotra and Gulshan Devaiah. Kanwaljit makes his presence felt.
Like the original, the USP of this film is also its soulful music. However, not a single new track manages to beat Jagjit Singh’s Koi Fariyaad, even if it’s the revamped version. Cinematography is stunning as well. While the first half engages you emotionally, a tedious second half loses steam, resulting in an unconvincing climax. You wish dialogues were stronger as well.
Despite the odds, if you like old-fashioned love stories with great music, Tum Bin 2 is a partially heartrending tale that can be watched for its beautiful message and sincere execution.