Anurag Basu's Metro In Dino: A Flawed Yet Captivating Glimpse into Urban Relationships

Anurag Basu is known for his work in Life…and Barfi! and is now returning with ‘Metro In Dino’. This film seeks to depict the evolving essence of relationships in contemporary Mumbai through the lens of interconnected characters battling love, solitude, and the habitual challenges of urban living. It features an ensemble cast with Aditya Roy Kapur and Sara Ali Khan in key roles, alongside industry veterans Pankaj Tripathi and Parvathy. The film also features talents Fatima Sana Shaikh, Ishwak Singh, and Rohit Saraf.Their chemistry is present, yet the narrative arc involving them feels drawn out. As discussed in the review, Aditya Roy Kapur and Sara Ali Khan constitute the emotional nucleus, albeit with the concern that their storyline overshadowed other arcs. Sara Ali Khan’s portrayal is mostly infused with traits of characters of Kareena Kapoor, making the performance feel familiar but devoid of an original essence.Anurag Basu's Metro In Dino: A Flawed Yet Captivating Glimpse into Urban RelationshipsExamples of Basu’s signature touches are all over the film, and include the atmospheric visuals capturing Mumbai’s essence, the soulful soundtrack, and the non-linear narrative structure. The film is alluring, but has some gaps in coherence. Some parts, such as the pairing of Pankaj Tripathi and Parvathy, are lauded for their subtle depth and emotional weight. Others, such as Fatima Sana Shaikh and Ishwak Singh’s story, feel shallow and underdeveloped. The film’s dialogues are occasionally too on-the-nose and attempt to offer poorly delivered, over simplified lessons on life. There's a truly perplexing blend of good and bad. There are moments when the film does feel deeply stylish and offers poignant moments that are truly expertly executed. Other moments, however, tend to drag on due to uneven pacing. The film delivers that bittersweet feeling of fleeting human connections, but such an ambitious scope can mean imbalance. Metro In Dino is, as most of us would expect from Basu, stunning to watch and only partially memorable, sure to divide people with its unique storytelling style which, at times, feels uneven and jarring.