With Metro…In Dino, Anurag Basu once again turns ordinary urban lives into an emotional mixtape, letting Pritam’s melodies speak where words fail. The film is playful, tender and, despite a few bumps, ultimately comforting and uplifting take on relationships. But is it worth your time? Let’s dive in.
Plot Overview
Metro…In Dino opens with a vibrant musical introduction, allowing the lead characters to reveal their imperfect, chaotic lives through song. The narrative revolves around three intertwined love stories:
- Kajol Ghosh (Konkona Sensharma) and her husband Monty (Pankaj Tripathi), whose marriage faces the threat of infidelity after a candid Holi party conversation.
- Shibani Ghosh (Neena Gupta), Kajol’s mother, who struggles to maintain respect and dignity in a long, challenging marriage. A college reunion gives her a chance to rediscover herself.
- Chumki (Sara Ali Khan), Shibani’s younger daughter, grapples with trust issues in her relationship with Anand (Kush Jotwani), complicated further when Parth (Aditya Roy Kapur) enters her life.
Parallel to these stories, the film also explores the troubled long-distance marriage of Akash (Ali Fazal) and Shruti (Fatima Sana Shaikh), providing a different lens on love and loss.
Direction and Screenplay
The film sets a high bar from the first frame with a lyrical, almost musical screenplay composed by the Metro Band—Pritam, Papon, and Raghav Chaitanya. The dialogues often feel poetic, and emotions are expressed through melodies that hit deeply.
Anurag Basu delicately navigates four parallel storylines, exploring themes like generational trauma, infidelity, and longing with sensitivity and grace. The backbone remains the complex, uncertain relationship between Kajol and Monty, leaving the audience questioning whether their bond can survive the pain.
Basu’s direction, combined with Pritam’s evocative music, brings love, loss, and hope to life in unique, heartfelt moments. One standout scene shows Monty, delightfully giddy after meeting a stranger on a dating app, perfectly synced with the upbeat score. Meanwhile, Kajol’s confrontation with her mother about the sacrifices marriage demands reveals a fierce, resilient spirit refusing to be defined by past wounds.
What Works and What Doesn’t
The film’s first half shines with a blend of drama, humor, and unpredictability, building anticipation for the intertwined stories’ conclusions. Basu chooses not to rush, stretching the narrative into a longer runtime that some may find slow but justified to fully explore the characters’ journeys.
The strongest performances come from the pairs of Neena Gupta and Anupam Kher, Konkona Sensharma and Pankaj Tripathi, and Fatima Sana Shaikh and Ali Fazal. Aditya Roy Kapur brings charm and warmth to his role, but Sara Ali Khan struggles to leave a convincing impression, with her expressions and delivery falling flat in comparison.
Performances
- Anupam Kher delivers a quietly powerful portrayal of Parimal Sarkar, a grieving widower who shares a beautiful, unconventional relationship with his widowed daughter-in-law.
- Neena Gupta shines as Shibani, balancing wisdom, vulnerability, and sass effortlessly.
- Pankaj Tripathi surprises yet again, stepping beyond serious roles to infuse Monty with humor and heart.
- Konkona Sensharma carries the film with a nuanced, modern portrayal of a woman navigating marriage on her own terms.
- Ali Fazal impresses with a range that moves from subtle sorrow to full-blown anguish, while Fatima Sana Shaikh supports well though her character could have been developed more.
- Aditya Roy Kapur’s natural charisma saves his storyline, whereas Sara Ali Khan misses a great opportunity with a less convincing performance.
Final Thoughts
Metro…In Dino isn’t without its flaws and moments of predictability, but these don’t overshadow the warmth and authenticity that Anurag Basu brings to the screen. The film wraps up like a comforting embrace, reminding us that even in brokenness, there’s beauty and hope for healing.
