'Babylicious' review: An uncomfortably meta entertainer for Syra, Shahroz fans

In a recent interview with The Express Tribune, Syra Yousuf and Shahroz Sabzwari described Babylicious as a "date film" that one can "watch with their family." Exiting the cinema hall at the film's premiere, one cannot help but agree with the absurdly contradictory statements. 

A romantic love story through and through, Babylicious, at its very core, seems to brim with ambition. Certain shots and editing choices hint at the fact that the film could have been more, in, perhaps, a shorter amount of time. Shahroz's Umer starts out a bit hard-to-swallow, but grows on the audience as time goes by due to his innate humanness. As our protagonist, it is through his lens that we see the head-over-heels in love Umer pursue the ambitious, practical-minded Sabiha (Syra). Syra essays Sabiha seamlessly, and while she stuns in each and every frame, one wishes that the film had more to offer to her character.

Spoiler alert! The first few minutes of the film see Syra and Shahroz's characters holding each other close as they make promises to stay together for the rest of their lives. For this to not be taken as a meta gut punch, especially whilst seated in the same hall as Syra, Shahroz, and Sadaf Kanwal, is a bitter pill to swallow. 

That being said, the film does more than just make one pine for reconciliation. One of the film's highlights is the camaraderie between Nido (Mohi Abro), Aadi (Aadi Adeal Amjad), and Umer. This dodgy yet entertaining trio engages in a series of amusing antics that generated many-a-laugh at the Nueplex premiere. Aadi's portrayal of a sleazeball is accompanied by his laudable comedic timing. Mohi as Nido makes one laugh at the ease with which he is terrified by his girlfriend, Annie (Sabeena Syed) and his angsty run-ins with Aadi. 

The trio also shares a dynamic of hilarity with Shehzeen Rahat, who essays Arwa, alongside her on-screen mother, who wants nothing more than her daughter to be desired by a man. This results in numerous instances that have one cackling.

Ankur Rathee's role as the empathetic fiance seems to double as a nod to Salman Khan in Kuch Kuch Hota Hai. One can't help but feel that he is the practical choice for Sabiha, who craves stability in her life after her father's abandonment. However, it is magic for which Sabiha ultimately yearns, and this is found within the palm of Umer's hand. Salman 'Mani' Saqib brings a humourous element to the film, portraying a character always on the lookout for a quick buck. His presence is a source of many light-hearted moments. 

The climax of the film, which incorporates elements of divine intervention for Umer, features a face-off between the hero and the forces standing between him and his love. This can come across as cheesy for many, and perhaps even unnecessary. However, Mani parroting, "Boss maine aap ko bola kya hai," (Boss, what have I said to you?) is an unexpectedly funny homage to one of the film's producers, Waqar Zaka, and the infamous video forever linked to Waqar's legacy.

This is not to say that the film does not have its moments of absurdity. There is a scene where the trio of men attempt to engage the services of a sex worker who must be picked up from Azam Basti - the thought of which frightens them to their very core. The eager Aadi recoils when the woman in question is not to his liking. The men who paid for the worker think she's too filthy for them.

It is unclear why all three wanted to be with the same woman, and even more unclear why Nido goes first. To make matters worse, his friends lie to him, paying the woman more to pretend like they have gone through with the act. It is implied that Nido has contracted a disease - without enthusiastically consenting to be intimate with her in the first place. 

In addition to this, Umer has his problematic moments as well. As a hero, one finds it an uphill task to root for a man willing to leak intimate details and pictures of his ex-girlfriend to her current fiance to "bring her level down" so that she may accept him. Sabiha publicly brings up the fact that he has slut-shamed her as well. He also slits his wrist to emotionally blackmail Arwa into helping him win Sabiha back. Furthermore, the character almost dabbles in black magic to win back his love, albeit this is written off as humour, followed by a change of heart. Strangely enough, all this is also what makes the character strike a chord. One either knows an Umer, or has heard of one. 

That is what makes Babylicious a strangely complex watch. One is aware that certain elements shown are either absurd, cliched, or straight-up tricky. Yet, owing to semblances of relatability, one finds themselves doing a double take at what one laughs or tears up at. Perhaps, that is a huge win for Babylicious. 

Minutes before the screening of the film, one of the cast members was heard saying, "This film will blow your mind." While the film itself is a decent enough watch that has the potential to entertain, what truly blows one's mind is the awareness of context. 

This is a different film for those who are aware of Syra and Shahroz's history, who may see instances of the duo on-screen instead of the characters they essay. Watching the two fall in and out of love repeatedly is a bizarre experience. Such is the magic of the film - it almost makes one root for Syra and Shahroz, especially while seeing their chemistry on-screen, despite knowing the impossibility of the outcome outside the constructed universe of Babylicious. 

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