Manmarziyaan trailer breakdown

The trailer of Anurag Kashyap’s Manmarziyaan was released today. The film – an edgy love story set in Amritsar, Punjab – stars Abhishek Bachchan, Taapsee Pannu and Vicky Kaushal. It is written by Kanika Dhillon and produced by Aanand L Rai.

The trailer introduces us to the film’s central characters and their conflicting personalities. Rumi, played by Taapsee Pannu, is a spirited young girl who falls in love with the restless and evasive Vicky, played by Vicky Kaushal. Their romance is pickled by the arrival of Robbie (Abhishek Bachchan), who is looking for a prospective bride.

Thematically, Manmarziyaan bears similarities to Kashyap’s 2009 breakout film, Dev D. Both films capture the landscape and diction of Punjab, pumped by an earthy, experimental soundtrack by Amit Trivedi. While Dev D explores a love triangle through the self-destructiveness of its male protagonist, Manmarziyaan pivots around its fiery and complicated female lead. Interestingly, this is Kashyap’s first feature film where he is not credited as a writer. The film is also billed as a musical romance, a cinematic space we rarely associated with the director.

While Taapsee and Vicky look impressive in the trailer, it is Abhishek who stands out with his restrained and sensitive performance. After a two-year-long hiatus, the actor seems determined to prove himself afresh with Manmarziyaan. In all, the film looks like an intense romantic drama with a stellar cast and a promising narrative.

Co-produced by Phantom Films and Colour Yellow Productions, Manmarziyaan is scheduled for release on September 7.