Do Patti (Two Cards) is a film with an identity crisis, with neither director Shashanka Chaturvedi nor writer/co-producer Kanika Dhillon seeming entirely confident in its primal instinct.

A twisted tale of identical twins, one good, the other evil? Or is there another hill station mystery? (For some reason streaming platforms seem to be fascinated by these; netflix‘s araniac or Miss Serial KillerVoot’s Sugar or ZEE5s Rautu Ka Raaz. Perhaps we’re hoping the beautiful mountain views distract from the bumpy storytelling.)

Is this an impassioned defense of domestic violence, or a courtroom drama where it’s hard to decide who’s playing whom? An exploration of the nature of justice and whether the letter of the law or the spirit of the law is more important?

Do Patti It tries to be all of these things, but often ends up being a mess.

Dhillon, who is also the architect of Netflix, Haseen Dillruba franchise, was asked in an interview What is Kanika Dhillon womanHe said that his characters embody strength, fragility and complexity, and that they are nuanced and real characters. Although this is true for Rumi manmarziyaan and Bobby’s in there Judgment Hai Kya and even to some extent for the Rani Haseen Dillrubathese traits elude both Saumya and Shailee, the twins played by Kriti Sanon. Do Patti.

It’s easy to see why Sanon, who is also one of the co-producers, chose this film. Do Patti It is the first feature film from production company Blue Butterfly Films. This dual role offers her the opportunity to show her diversity, from the timid, wobbly Saumya who suffers from anxiety and depression to the provocative, vengeful Shailee who will seemingly do whatever it takes to gain the upper hand over her sister, and Sanon goes. with initiative and sincerity on both sides.

However, this movie is not as smart as it seems. The trope of twins who look physically identical but have distinctly different personalities has been a staple of Indian cinema for decades. Dilip Kumar set the gold standard Ram Aur Shyam about 60 years ago; Hema Malini cements her star status with spectacular double comeback Seeta Aur Geeta (Which Do Patti references in dialogue); and then the gorgeous Sridevi played both Anju and Manju. ChaalBaaz.

With Do Pattibut Dhillon seems to take inspiration from 1971’s sharmeeleeIn the film, Rakhee plays Kanchan and Kamini, one lively, outgoing and more Westernized, the other docile, shy and dressed in Indian clothes. No prizes for guessing which one is the bad one and which one gets the guy in the end.

Fifty-three years later, the indicators of good and bad are the same. Shailee likes to drink, smoke, and reveal her clothes; Even while testifying in court, she cannot resist exposing her navel. Saumya of course avoids all this. Both sisters are in love with Dhruv (Shaheer Sheikh), the scion of a wealthy politician, but it is impossible to understand why; he does very bad things especially to Saumya. Although Sheik showed some spark, he, like the rest of the cast, was disappointed by the script.

To further flesh out this cliché story, Dhillon adds an unreliable narrator in the sisters’ childhood nanny, Maaji. Actress Tanvi Azmi is so solid in her role that she saves even the most ridiculous scenes. In the first, she offers Dhruv two glasses of sherbet, and when he reaches for one, she looks at him pointedly and suggests that he might be making a mistake in his choice.

But the worst thing the script has to offer is Kajol in her first cop role. The character, called Vidya Jyothi (meaning “beacon of knowledge and light”), is a single woman determined to bring order and justice to the sleepy fictional hamlet of Devipur. While the character has a arc, it only comes out on a superficial level as she investigates a murder accusation against Dhruv. She is mostly a one-note character, except for one scene where Vidya is attacked and shows us her vulnerability.

Conveniently, Vidya has a law degree and continues to fight the case as a lawyer in court. A quick Google search reveals that an Indian Police Service officer cannot actually be a lawyer because lawyers are not allowed to be full-time salaried employees of the government.

However Do Patti He has little respect for facts or even cursory logic. Vidya’s Haryanvi accent comes and goes. Paragliding plays a crucial role in the plot, but the CGI is so clumsy that it’s impossible to believe any of these characters are actually in the air. But perhaps the roughest cut is predictable climate change. This confusing movie remains confused until the end.