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I expect the next episode of Two Much with Kajol & Twinkle, featuring Govinda and Chunky Panday, to be a complete riot. The show is a perfect example of how not to judge a presentation by the first episode, though obviously one cannot wait for eight weeks to do so when the season ends. A new episode comes in every Thursday on Prime Video. And I must say that I liked the unpredictability of the show and its casual, informal, affable and unfeigned aura.
My first impression, when the show opened with Aamir Khan and Salman Khan, was that it was about having a good time with friends who you may not be catching up with too often, or only sometimes, in the whirlwind of real life. Take a look: Aamir and Salman co-starred in the flop but now cult Andaz Apna Apna 31 (!) years ago. Aamir did Mela, a disaster, with Twinkle in 2000, and Ishq (1997) and Fanaa (2006) with Kajol, who was cast opposite Ajay Devgn in the former.
Salman-Kajol co-starred, again non-romantically, in Karan Arjun (1995) and then in Pyaar Kiya To Darna Kya(Salman’s home production) and Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (both in 1998). Salman, in the same hit-filled year, did Jab Pyaar Kisise Hota Hai with Twinkle. The two ladies, however, have been old friends despite never working together, though they have worked with each other’s star-husbands.
And for the ‘nepotism’ inclined, all four are from film families and thus share common, well-heeled backgrounds!
The first episode was quite amusing but as a critics’ favorite line goes, “Could have been funnier”. Aamir and occasionally Salman tended to be sometimes heavy-handed and even pedantic, especially in the ‘Left Side Right Side’ game where a statement was given and they (including the hosts) had to choose the Right Side if they agreed on it or go on the ‘Left’ if they did not.
Mercifully, despite going into the zones of naughtiness and intimacy, the show does not anywhere cross the line, though I seriously wish that Twinkle allows the otherwise garrulous Kajol to get in much more words than she speaks.
Salman was a shade more open, discussed his weak points sportingly and even his past, also providing the shocking revelation that he would like to become a father. Aamir was ribbed for being in love again after two divorces, and was very open about how he was disturbed after his divorce with first wife, Reena, linking it chronologically to his developed friendship with Salman, who consoled him then. Aamir also praised both his ex-wives (Kiran Rao being the second wife) for their natures and for remaining very good friends.
The second episode, featuring Varun Dhawan and Alia Bhatt, remains, as of now, the best and most significant one. The chemistry between the two guests was extremely endearing, and their open revelations about the diverse ways in which they found love were as lovely to hear as Varun’s charming love story with his first pup, Joey. The filmi quiz was classical Karan Johar stuff, but the rewards and penalties for the right and wrong answers were something refreshing at least for Indian television. Varun-Alia is one pair that has done multiple films and yet remained thick friends but no more, and yet another adorable facet was of how they remembered certain actions of their eminent respective director-fathers, David Dhawan and Mahesh Bhatt. The hilarity quotient also remained high, as with the story of Varun’s aunty and of Alia’s superstition about people calling her from behind.
The third episode between Akshay Kumar and Saif Ali Khan is perhaps the funniest: Saif’s poker-faced humor and Akshay’s casual fun rocked the show, The two have co-starred in several films as well and both have done films with both the hosts, with Twinkle also doubling as Akshay’s wife and ‘tripling’ as his producer. Akshay’s insistence on being cast in and as Pad-Man produced by Twinkle was amusing indeed. Saif also provided details about the attack on him by a thief last year and complimented ex-wife Amrita Singh for being a perfect mother to Ibrahim and Sara. Strangely, there was no significant mention of Kareena Kapoor Khan.
However, viewers were left wondering why Akshay was not paired with frequent co-star Ajay Devgn, who is Kajol’s hubby. Maybe they are leaving that for the next season, for there was a hint that Ajay would come in this season as well. I would hazard two guesses about his fellow guest if he does: Tabu, and director Rohit Shetty!
The plus point about the show is that both hosts come in to express their views too, and the banter is clearly genuine. On the other hand, if I have to nitpick, it is on the fact that the beautiful hosts’ wardrobe needs a radical makeover!
