The CBFC has given the film an A, which is something of a first for Kriti Sanon as we head into the June 19 release. You don’t have to look far to see why the word is out on this one: a bold premise, a long running time, and a cast put together to make some noise at the box office. Advance tickets are already on sale for those who want in early.
Adults-only tag resets expectations
You had a U/A for the first one; the sequel is going in with an A. It puts a finer point on things while the film keeps up the high-gloss look you’d expect from the franchise. On paper, it’s your standard romantic comedy with the usual suspects in front of the camera.
Rashmika has been in an adult-rated film before, but for Kriti, it’s a bit of a departure. She’s trying on a new persona in Cocktail 2 and the A rating is part of that. Some fans are already on it, and they like to see an actor take a chance now and then.
Kriti’s boho-glam turn becomes the talking point
Put a new track in a theatre and you’ll get a reaction. That’s what happened with the one from this film. People were taken aback by how different Kriti looks, a far cry from her work in Tere Ishk Mein. This is a boho-glam vibe made to command the screen.
It’s no accident. In this franchise, the feel of the movie is as important as the story, and her look is right in line with that. If you ask people so far, they’re not so much on the plot as they are on the chemistry and how much room the film has to move in.
Queer-angle rumours swirl, answers come on 19th June
Some are saying there could be a queer love story in there. We won’t know for sure until the 19th when the doors open.
Trailer talk and the franchise legacy
Then you have the 2012 original. It was a menage-a-trois with Saif, Deepika and Diana Penty. You could make a case that it was Deepika’s 2.0, showing she could carry a film. But the second half got a little too loud for some and left viewers split.
Dinesh Vijan was at the trailer launch to put the record straight: this will be a more relaxed watch. The promo has the same formula of style and sexiness. A few are calling it empty, but it is what it is – a trailer.
Cocktail 2 is after the same kind of appeal as the first, only with a bit more of an edge. Can it pull it off for two and a half hours? Let the fans be the judge of that.
Release game plan and the stakes
There’s a lot on the calendar, but Cocktail 2 is here before Welcome To The Jungle. We’ve set our sights on Friday, June 19 for the big day. We’ve opened up a few screens for advance booking to see how the crowd feels about it.
If you’re in the market for a weekend movie, the offer is there: young faces, sun-drenched visuals and an adults-only seal of approval. The CBFC stamp is also a way of setting this apart from the U/A version that came before it.
Here is what everyone is on about:
– When: Friday, June 19
– The rating: An A from the CBFC
– Time: 150 minutes
– The cast: Shahid, Kriti, Rashmika
– (The first one was U/A)
– Number two for Rashmika in this category
What to watch for next
The song has been well-received, so don’t expect the film to be any less on the style front. The real test is if the writing can stand up to the A without just being for show, and if it can sidestep the stumbles of the original.
For now, it has the attention it wants: the pairings, the controversy, the whole package. The stage is set for Cocktail 2. All it has to do is put on a good show.
