Metro... In Dino: A charming but imperfect ride that you'll like, not love

One of the toughest genres to pull off is the multi-narrative ensemble films with interconnected stories.

- Lekha Menon

Instead of one or two leads with a bunch of supporting actors adding their weight to a linear plot, in this case, there is a wide buffet of main characters, each going through their own important arcs, only for all of them to come together as a whole meal towards the end. In the world of rom-coms and rom-dramas, Love Actually remains the gold standard — an eternal favourite that few films, in either Hollywood or Bollywood, have managed to surpass. The challenge it mastered: making every storyline equally compelling, weaving them together with a natural, unifying thread and keeping the audience emotionally invested in each one.

Bollywood isn't new to this storytelling form with 2007's Salaam-E-Ishq and Life in a Metro being standouts. The latter, of course, turned out to be one of the most nuanced explorations of modern relationships in mainstream Hindi cinema, made under the able direction of Anurag Basu with the stellar star cast including Irrfan Khan, Konkona Sen Sharma and Kay Kay Menon capturing the quiet despair, longing and fragility of urban lives. Adding to the emotional heft was Pritam's soulful soundtrack (Songs like Alvida, O Meri Jaan and In Dino are still beautiful to tune into on a rainy, romantic evening!).

If this reads like a review of the 2007 film, it's because Metro... In Dino seems intent on cashing in on the nostalgia of its predecessor, in line with the 'franchise' addiction currently gripping Bollywood. There's nothing inherently wrong with riding a trend, but the problem lies in the fact that a film like