Maybe it’s a little judgmental of us, but when we heard that there was a Hindi film by the name “Love Hostel,” we couldn’t help rolling our eyes and condescendingly thinking that we knew what the story was going to be like. And then we saw the trailer and grudgingly agreed that we could be wrong. And then the film rolled out, and we decided never to be so judgy ever again.
What Is ‘Love Hostel’ About?
The film begins with the assassination of a young couple who have eloped to get married. The assassin, Viraj Singh Dagar, played so admirably by Bobby Deol, makes us understand how underused he is by the industry. The scene then cuts to two people, Jyoti Dilawar and Ahmed Shaukeen, played by Sanya Malhotra and Vikrant Massey, respectively, getting married. It is shown that Jyoti has run away from her wedding at home and is now planning the next course of action with Ahmed and her friend. There is also a DCP, Sushil Rathi, played by Raj Arjun, who is trying to help the couple.
Viraj Dagar, the assassin, is definitely the most interesting character. He considers his job to be something towards the betterment of society, and he is ruthless with it. The slight smiles, the quiet humor, and the unshakeable faith in his ideas spark more interest in you than horror.
Bobby Deol owned the character, and this is the film that makes us forgive him for choosing “Race 3” as his comeback film. Vikrant Massey is charming as always and makes the character his own. Sanya Malhotra never disappoints, and we see her being Jyoti Dilawar with a deservedly expected perfection. These are the three principal characters, and they are involved in a game of cat and mouse with Vijay Dagar out to kill Ashu Shaukeen and the couple on the run, fighting back and protecting themselves.
What To Expect From ‘Love Hostel’?
It is a well-written film that expertly ticks a lot of the boxes for a gritty thriller. The characters have a full personality; they have motivations that intrigue and a backstory that ties in well with their current story while maintaining its own complexity. And the best part of the film is its dialogues. The interaction of the characters makes any film or show engaging or memorable, and “Love Hostel” delivers in respect to that.
We noticed in “Love Hostel” how it touched on a lot of things, some of them being patriarchy, corrupt politicians, the LGBTQ community, and religious differences. But that’s just what it does—shows them in the natural flow of the story without getting preachy about it, as if these issues are a part of everybody’s life in some way or the other. While we can’t accept them as being necessary to the story, we don’t mind their inclusion in it.
Something to think about with the film is how none of the characters are asking for sympathy, least of all the couple on the run. They are fighters, and you know that they will not lose. We wish that they had dedicated more time to Vijay Dagar. That is not to say we did not come to understand him, but he did not get enough screen time despite being the most compelling character.
Central to the film’s plot is the practice of honor killings, common in many parts of North India. The film takes a dive into the culture and psychology of what makes people justify their actions and deem them the right thing to do, instead of recognizing it for what it is: a cruel act of bruised egos over caste, class, and religion. Again, “Love Hostel” does not care to preach; it lets the audience think for itself, which is slowly becoming a welcome trope of such films, and we look forward to more of them.
Conclusion
When we try to watch any content in our busy schedules, we hope we are not alone when we say that it has become a habit to shuffle between the tabs with one of them playing the film and with our work on the rest of them. If you try to watch “Love Hostel” in a similar manner, you will still enjoy the film, as it is not a film that relies heavily on silences or visuals for its storytelling. But we will say that watching it after a busy day or on the weekend, when you can devote your full attention to it, will do greater justice to it.
Bobby Deol’s evil smile deserves to be seen. Sanya Malhotra’s petty anger at the authorities or even Vikrant Massey’s effortless charm should be given the respect they deserve. “Love Hostel” is yet another proof of how it is OTT that we have to turn to if we want to see actors take up roles that actually make them enjoy their job. The future of content is a marriage of OTT and more traditional broadcast methods, and we need more actors to recognize that.
So to sum it up, we would recommend “Love Hostel” to our friends and insist that they watch it. This film is definitely NOT a skip in the plethora of content out there and will actually make you glad you tuned in. So, watch it, if for nothing else, than to see Lord Bobby in an avatar that has the potential to become a cult classic.
“Love Hostel” is a 2022 Indian Romance Thriller film directed by Shanker Raman.
