One hour into the film and you realise why there are three o’s in the title Looop Lapeta. For those who have watched the original German film Run Lola Run (1998), this won’t be surprising but for a first-time viewer, the whole ‘looop’ in the story comes across as a surprise. Yes, it has also been seen in Kunal Khemu’s lesser-known film Bhaag Johnny (2015). However, while out there the stage was set pretty much in the beginning, in the case of the Taapsee Pannu- and Tahir Raj Bhasin-starrer, the twist comes later on around the mid-point.
Well, a little late in the day because as a viewer, you do get impatient in the first hour. A core reason for that is not just the story but the way it is narrated. Director Akash Bhatia ends up experimenting with the whole structure of storytelling. Be it the camerawork, sound design, background score, close-up of actors or editing pattern; just about everything is unconventional.
Nothing wrong in there, but then it turns out to be an experiment that is stretched a bit too far. No wonder, when Taapsee’s character brings out her inner Rashmi Rocket to run around the (same) streets of Goa multiple times in order to save the life of her boyfriend (Tahir) who has stolen money from the underworld (Dibyendu Bhattacharya), it turns out to be a rather cumbersome chase. Sad, since the Hindu legend of Savitri, who saved the life of Satyavan from Yamraj, has been woven quite well into the narrative. Here, Taapsee saves Tahir from Divyendu, and that too not once but multiple times, which makes the second half better.
This is where one feels that had this been a compact 90-100-minute film, it would have managed to engage you far better in its ‘looop’. Also, one has to admit that it takes at least 20-25 minutes to actually get into the frame of mind that allows the storytelling to soak in. Not that it would still have a universal appeal since it is not a quintessential Hindi film that would act as a source of entertainment for one and all. It is experimental, niche, offbeat, and actually reminds of Boom and No Smoking.
Taapsee takes a realistic route with her performance, though at places it turns out to be way too casual. As for Tahir Raj Bhasin, he is having the time of his life with the third release in four weeks after Yeh Kaali Kaali Ankhen and Ranjish Hi Sahi. Here, he shows his comic timing well.
However, at the end of it all, if you can digest an extended scene of Dibyendu washing a turkey with his palm inside its body, then you may as well give it a watch.
—Joginder Tuteja
Looop Lapeta
Director: Akash Bhatia
Genre: Action Comedy
Platform: Netflix
Language: Hindi
Rating: 2.5/5