Maddy and Payel have a pet turtle named Milkha, which might be the only joke in Katti Batti that works. We see the ex-boyfriend pee in one cubicle while Maddy sits on the toilet, in the neighbouring cubicle, comforting his turtle. They could have chatted by the wash basins, but no. For instance, when Maddy meets Payel’s ex-boyfriend, it’s in a toilet. There are critical moments of the film in which toilet bowls appear for absolutely no reason. Or perhaps this is Advani subtly accepting just how bad Katti Batti is. It’s disguised marketing for a manufacturer of toilets. Give the film a little more time and you’ll realise that the film is not a study of what love means to lunatics. Maddy’s boss is a man who appears to think he’s in a vaudeville show. One of Maddy’s colleagues is a woman who, in an effort to communicate she’s attracted to him, picks up his hand and plonks it on her breast. Because there is not one sane character in this film. Considering how erratically Payel and Maddy behave, it may seem as though Katti Batti is a film that seeks to create awareness for mental health issues. Somewhere in the middle of the first half, it might seem as though Advani has a loftier motive than telling a love story. He’s heartbroken, but also convinced that Payel still loves him.Īnd so we embark upon a journey made up of flashbacks while Maddy tries to claw his way back to his lady love, with the help of (among other things) a turtle, a petshop owner named Roger and a guitar-brandishing sardar. Then one day, apparently without warning, Payel leaves Maddy. After some dithering, Maddy and Payel start living together, because Advani couldn’t think of any other way to let Manforce condoms get their moment in spotlight. She wants only “time pass” relationships. Payel falls in love with Maddy because he can push a bike for the distance that would cost Rs 20 in an auto.
Maddy falls in love with Payel because she can make origami cranes. A large chunk from 500 Days of Summer, some elements from Love and Other Drugs and generous dollops of classic Bollywood clichés have been patched together to tell us the love story of Maddy (Khan) and Payel (Ranaut). Katti Batti is an original story made up of copied parts. In his infinite wisdom, Advani decided to place the weight of Katti Batti on Khan’s shoulders, leaving Ranaut to look pretty and remain mostly silent.
In contrast, Advani’s hero is Imran Khan, who was charming in his debut film, but has struggled ever since and hasn’t had a big hit since Delhi Belly. Ranaut makes news with her performances as well as her honest interviews, both of which have helped her popularity swell with every release. In Katti Batti, Advani got Kangana Ranaut, the reigning queen of Bollywood who has helped make small films like Queen box office successes.
Imran Khan and Kangana Ranaut in Katti Batti.