Bhaag Beanie Bhaag review: Funny movie lacks comedy

Bhaag Beanie Bhaag (Netflix)

Cast: Swara Bhasker, Ravi Patel, Dolly Singh, Varun Thakur

Directors: Debbie Rao, Ishaan Nair, Abi Varghese

Rating: 2/5

When in doubt, Beanie (Swara Bhasker) bolts for the nearest exit.

Of course, she is educated (MBA, we are told), sensible and bursting with jokes but her brain isn't equipped to accommodate the occasional slips and frequent foot-in-mouths.

So you find Beanie in various stages of bhaag, attesting the film's title all the time.

One thing that works for the movie is its topical protagonist — a stand-up comedian who rubs everyone the wrong way. Sorry, no contempt of court here. The humour is restricted to interfaith couples and sex in the sink (and some sterilised takes on chai-walas making it big).

Again, humour is also the biggest letdown for a movie that revolves around the business of comedy. While Swara's progress as a "comic comic" is not even remotely organic, the jokes that bring her fame are so lame that one suddenly begins to appreciate amateur TikTok videos with canned ha-has.

Beanie Bhatnagar ('Butt Nagar' for her LA-returned professional partner Ravi Patel) also seems to share a 'cool' chemistry with her parents. The folks want their unsure daughter to settle down with her rich beau (Varun Thakur) who dangles an irresistible wedding carrot — a four-bedroom apartment with a dishwasher.

Swara Bhasker gives an earnest touch to Beanie's attempts to escape domesticity but there is no depth in the proceedings to get the viewers invested in her run for freedom. Beanie's bestie (a capable Dolly Singh) smirks like there is no tomorrow, while Ravi Patel, her open-mic buddy, is equal parts funny and clumsy.

It's a pity that one is left looking for laughter in the tale of a runaway girl chasing her stand-up comedy dreams.