Why Netflix’s Do Patti is a missed opportunity

Identical twins have become a familiar trope in Bollywood, but only a select few films manage to leave a lasting impression with compelling narratives and strong performances.

Unfortunately, Do Patti doesn’t join that elite list. Despite Kajol and Kriti Sanon's star power, the film falls short of its intended message, resulting in a lackluster experience that doesn’t resonate with audiences.

The film tries to highlight domestic and sexual violence but introduces the issue too late for it to have any real impact. The film focuses mostly on an attempted murder, only touching on the real issue in the last few minutes, where it feels forced.

Kanika Dhillon’s script weakens the project

A project revolving around twin sisters is a sure-shot winner on paper, but the result doesn’t always meet expectations. Many writers and directors have attempted this formula... only those with a deeper understanding have succeeded

Even a Hollywood film like Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery struggled because it offered nothing new. Kanika Dhillon seems to have made a similar mistake, combining a social message with a twin-sisters story that fails on both counts.

The plot revolves around twin sisters Saumya and Shailee (played by Kriti Sanon), who were raised by their nanny (Tanvi Azmi) after their parents' deaths. Saumya grew up sensitive and caring, while Shailee, banished to a hostel, became fierce and controlling.

Saumya’s life changes for the better when she meets Dhruv Sood, the son of a local minister and entrepreneur named Dhruv Sood (Shaheer Sheikh), who falls for the other sister, who matches his brash lifestyle. However, he marries Saumya after his association with Shailee resulted in a business loss. Their marriage unravels when Dhruv’s anger turns violent, forcing Inspector Vidya Jyothi Kanwar (Kajol) to step in

Although Jyothi appears from the start, her role fades into the background during the nanny’s flashback. The film, which started as a mystery thriller, suddenly shifts into a domestic violence documentary, losing its way. It wouldn't be incorrect to say that in an attempt to cash the 'violence' angle, the writer failed to entertain the audience, who had already lost interest at halftime.

Kajol’s attempt to channel her inner Dirty Harry falls flat

Kajol attempts to bring a tough-cop persona, similar to her cousin Rani Mukerji's in Mardaani, but it doesn’t quite land. She tried to channel her inner Dirty Harry in the movie, which fell flat, considering that her fans wanted her to go the extra mile.

Her attempt at a Punjabi accent slips occasionally. But that’s not the only problem—she’s both the cop and the lawyer, which feels implausible and may irritate viewers from both professions. She plays both a cop and a lawyer, which feels far-fetched. Wouldn’t it have made more sense to cast two actors for these roles?

It looked ridiculous if you ask me because I grew up watching cop shows and courtroom dramas. In classic cop dramas, we never see the same actor play the lawman and the lawyer. This odd choice undermines the believability of Kajol’s role.

For Kriti Sanon fans, the film is a double delight

The best part of Do Patti is Kriti Sanon’s convincing portrayal of both the sensitive Saumya and the fierce Shailee, even when both share the frame. We all know that she has grown as an actress, but here she is the co-producer, and one must commend her zeal and passion for the project, both in front of the camera and behind it.

Oddly, the young actresses playing the twins don’t resemble each other, which only adds to the film's inconsistencies. One fails to understand how the two unidentical twins grew up to be identical despite not meeting each other for years. In my opinion, that was the real mystery!

While she was good in both the characters, the wild one suited her more. At times, though, she sounded like Deepika Padukone for some strange reason. Maybe it was because Deepika plays the good girl most of the time, but had that been brought to her notice, she might have avoided that in the dubbing process (if there was any).

Shaheer Sheikh is easy on the eyes but mimics Irrfan Khan’s style

First off, there's only one Irrfan Khan, and no actor, including Shaheer Sheikh, should try to mimic his style. Shaheer Sheikh shows potential but tries too hard to channel Irrfan Khan’s style instead of creating his own.

Shaheer Sheikh impresses me, but he tries too hard to be Irrfan Khan when he could have been himself. This film was his big break into Bollywood, but he wasted it by not going the extra mile, which Kajol is also guilty of.

In the scenes where he depicts his anger toward his wife or where he tries to seem normal, he does an Irrfan Khan impression, for whom this character would have been a walk in the park.

The film fails to measure up among double-role classics

Had the writer not inserted the domestic violence angle just to tick a box on her checklist, the film would have done well since it ticked many boxes on the viewers' checklist. It was beautifully shot, the pace wasn't slow, and it resonated with most people watching it.

But when the writer and director tried to add a cause to this upgrade of Seeta Aur Geeta, they failed their viewers. Instead, they seemed to use the very first idea that came into their minds and created a movie that would last only until the next big Bollywood release on the OTT platform.

Do PattiIMDb

If you have seen double-role films, this one has nothing new. In fact, one Pakistani film Chakkar two years back, showed the very twist in its trailer. Yes, it was that obvious for Pakistani fans who had only watched the trailer of the film, not even the complete movie.

The film is to be watched only if you aren't into classic Bollywood films. If you are, it won't take you long to guess the ending. That will happen if you get past the many plot holes that present themselves to the viewers. Watch it to experience it.