Don't Be Shy review: Alia Bhatt's glossy Gen Z film is fun but lacks emotional punch
What happens when a girl has her entire life planned at 21, right down to the rich boyfriend, dream college, CEO job and two children? Well, life happens. And Don’t Be Shy turns that familiar coming-of-age crisis into a glossy, colourful, very Gen Z-coded ride.
Produced by Alia Bhatt and directed by Sreeti Mukerji, the Prime Video film is unapologetically young. It is predominantly in English, packed with pop-culture references, exaggerated performances, vibrant visuals and enough lingo to make you realise who this film is talking to. For millennials, it can sometimes feel like too much, or, oddly, too little. But for young audiences raised on K-dramas and global coming-of-age films about friendships, love, heartbreak, failures and second chances, Don’t Be Shy feels instantly familiar.
At the centre is Shyamili ‘Shy’ Das (Aarushi Bajaj), who has her life mapped out on a vision board beside her bed. Apart from career goals, she also has Mayank (Piyush Khati), her rich boyfriend, whom she proudly calls the biggest achievement of her life and, quite hilariously, a ‘wannabe Mukesh Ambani’.
Shy, however, isn't exactly honest about who she is. She lies, embellishes and constantly projects a shinier version of herself. Even when a college mate calls her a bitch, she quickly corrects him: she is a ‘go-getter’. She is focussed, controlling and unintentionally funny. There is a wonderfully hilarious bit where she insists that, according to girl code, girlfriends don't poop. Shy, naturally, is also constipated.
It sounds silly, and it is... but it also makes you realise how social media has made us obsessed with presenting a perfect life, even when our actual lives are anything but. Shy doesn't quite know who she is because she is too busy trying to be someone she thinks everyone else will love.
The film reinforces this with its comic-book structure. The opening portions are divided into chapters, while Shy frequently breaks the fourth wall to speak directly to us. It makes the film feel like a colourful graphic novel with a protagonist who is constantly oversharing with her audience.
Then Mayank takes a trip to the mountains, has what he calls a Wake Up Sid moment, and suddenly, Shy's carefully constructed future comes crashing down. To add to the drama, Tara (Bianca Arora) makes an entry in DDLJ style in a rail coach. She soon takes over Shy's life, who, in turn, doesn't hesitate to call her a ‘budget Shakira’. There is also a glossy college fest that screams Student of the Year, complete with competitions and coordinated dances. And a playful reference to Roadies, renamed ‘Rebels’, and enough filmy winks to keep the story firmly in its candy-floss universe.
But Tara is more than a plot device. The best thing about Don’t Be Shy is the sisterhood between her and Shy. Tara is unapologetically a girl's girl. She stands up for her friends, supports women she barely knows and hands out tissues and pep talks whenever required. In a film filled with all kinds of chaos, this is its warmest idea: women don't always have to compete. Sometimes, they can simply show up for each other.
The film also touches upon body image and the ridiculous pressure women face to look a certain way, including giving up delicious carbs to fit into a particular size. It is one of the more grounded threads in an otherwise heightened world.
Among the supporting cast, Kunaal Roy Kapur plays Mr Q, Shy's guidance counsellor, while Neha Dhupia plays Nandini Verma, the woman Shy idolises. And, as the old saying goes, never meet your hero -- the film gets some mileage out of that idea while also bringing in a conversation around parenting.
Aarushi is truly the reason you stay invested even when the story becomes predictable. Shy can be annoying, dramatic and completely ridiculous, but the actor gives her enough honesty to make you want to root for her. Piyush is an interesting discovery as Mayank, while Bianca pulls off her role with ease.
Ansh Duggal, as Dhruv, has a very young Ranveer Singh-meets-Sidharth Malhotra vibe, particularly with his serious expression. His vulnerable conversation with Shy about careers, dreams, friendship and heartbreak stands out. When Shy says that just because one door closes doesn't mean all doors have closed, the film lands one of its simplest but most effective life lessons. And that, ultimately, is what Don’t Be Shy is about. The choices you make when everything falls apart can sometimes reveal who you really are. You may have a vision board, but life doesn't really care.
The film is predictable from the word go and doesn't quite hit you in the heart. Millennials might feel nostalgic about college, first love and friendships, but don't expect to be emotionally wrecked. The dubbing, at least in the version watched for review, was quite a mess and took away from the experience.
While Don’t Be Shy would click with younger audiences, for everyone else, it is a colourful reminder that growing up is messy, never as per plans, and sometimes your biggest achievement is simply figuring out who you actually are.- EndsALSO READ | Life, Larry and the Pursuit of Unhappiness is the funny, smart OTT watch you missed
Growing up immersed in the enchanting realm of movies and television, Sana's fascination with all things on-screen quickly blossomed into an irrevocable love affair. While words continue to be her greatest strength, Sana has discovered a penchant for stepping into the spotlight, engaging in profound dialogues with celebrities on camera.
