Hasee Toh Phasee

<p>Nikhil Bhardwaj, a struggling entrepreneur, is engaged to Karishma Solanki, an actress. Seeking financial backing for a business deal, he approaches her father, Devesh, but is dismissed. Days before the wedding, Nikhil encounters Karishma’s estranged younger sister, Meeta, a brilliant yet eccentric who had disappeared seven years earlier after stealing money from their father for a research project. Concerned that Meeta’s return might disrupt the wedding, Karishma asks Nikhil to keep her away from the family. As Nikhil spends time with Meeta, they form a bond. He learns she is in financial trouble, having taken a large loan in by forging her father’s signature. Meeta intends to steal from her father again but ultimately confesses, and he forgives her. On the wedding day, Meeta disappears for China, but Karishma, realizing Nikhil’s true feelings, calls off the ceremony. Nikhil finds Meeta at the same place where they had first met and confesses his love. The film ends with the couple preparing to fly to together. was directed by debutant and produced jointly by ‘s and . Initially titled , the title was later changed to . The film was conceived as a that combined quirky characters with emotional depth. noted that the script required fresh faces with nuanced performances, which influenced the casting process. Mathew described the film as character-driven, set over the course of seven days, and noted that the lead characters’ emotional arcs were central to the narrative. He collaborated closely with writer , who revealed that the character of Meeta was partially inspired by his friend’s intelligent but socially awkward sibling. was cast as Nikhil, a conservative and earnest businessman. According to Malhotra, the character differed from conventional Bollywood heroes, focusing more on internal growth than external heroics. was cast as Meeta, an eccentric scientist with unconventional behavior. Chopra described the role as one of her most demanding, as it broke the typical mold of a Bollywood heroine. Mathew stated that Chopra was always his preferred choice, while Johar suggested Malhotra for the male lead. played Karishma, Meeta’s sister and Nikhil’s fiancée. The supporting cast included as Meeta’s father, and as Nikhil’s parents, and several others in key roles. , , and made cameo appearances in the film. began on 18 April 2013 in , with locations including and . The cast underwent two months of rehearsals prior to the shoot.[13] During filming, Chopra sustained minor injuries, and Malhotra wrapped up his portions in September 2013. The film’s marketing included an interactive online campaign inviting fans to make Chopra laugh under Malhotra’s virtual guidance, aligning with the film’s light-hearted tone. were initially signed as composers for the film, but eventually opted out. The final soundtrack was composed by , with lyrics by , except for “Ishq Bulaava”, which was penned by . The album features six original tracks and one remix. The first single, “Drama Queen”, sung by and , was released on 23 December 2013, followed by “Zehnaseeb”, sung by along with , on 3 January 2014. The complete album was released on 6 January 2014. A remix of “Drama Queen” was later uploaded separately on ‘ channel. The film also features a written and composed by Khamosh Shah, which was included in the film but not in the official soundtrack album. The “Punjabi Wedding Song” was choreographed by Karishma Chavan. The soundtrack received mixed-to-positive reviews. Joginder Tuteja of called “Ishq Bulaava” the standout love song and praised Vishal–Shekhar for delivering beyond expectations with a mix of fun and soulful tracks. Seema Sinha of described the album as “refreshing,” with a blend of upbeat numbers and romantic ballads. noted the music was “youthful, peppy, entertaining and enthralling,” while praised “Manchala” and “Zehnaseeb” but criticized the mixing and over-orchestration. “Zehnaseeb” emerged as the most popular track from the album. It was ranked fifth in ‘s “Bollywood Music Report Jan–Sept 2014” and tenth in ‘s “Top 20 songs of 2014”. The first look and poster of were released in December 2013, followed by the theatrical trailer later that month. The film was released theatrically on 7 February 2014. It was subsequently made available for streaming on and . According to , had a moderate opening in urban centers across India. It grossed approximately ₹40 million (US$470,000) on its opening day and showed a 35 percent increase on its second day, collecting ₹55 million (US$650,000). Its opening weekend collections were estimated between ₹170 million and ₹185 million (US$2.0–2.2 million), with a first-week total of approximately ₹275 million (US$3.3 million). In its second week, despite a reduction in screen count due to the release of , the film collected ₹47.5 million (US$560,000), bringing its ten-day total to around ₹320 million (US$3.8 million). Overseas, earned approximately US$1.03 million (₹64.1 million) in its opening weekend, performing well in markets such as North America and the United Kingdom. received generally positive reviews from critics, with particular praise directed towards the performances of and , as well as the film’s direction, writing, and unconventional narrative tone. Meena Iyer of awarded the film 3.5 out of 5 stars, describing it as “a romantic comedy that mirrors the quirks in human nature subtly” and commending its balance of humor and emotion. of , also rating it 3.5 out of 5, wrote that the film “dares to be distinctive” and is “a quirky love tale involving two individuals, shades different from the mundane stuff on matters of the heart.” In her review for , gave the film 3.5 stars, stating, ” is that rare film that allows you to know the two people you’re investing in… Parineeti sinks her teeth into this misunderstood kook without a trace of self-consciousness.” Mohar Basu of rated the film 3 out of 5, praising the lead pair’s chemistry and writing that it was “pleasantly surprising and utterly baffling in equal amounts.” similarly gave it 3 out of 5, calling it “a refreshing, much-needed entry in the contemporary romcom genre” and highlighting the “unseen pairing with great chemistry.” of also gave the film 3 out of 5, noting that “the odd pairing works only because these two actors take an effort to play their characters with utmost sincerity.” remains one of the most popular romantic dramas in Hindi cinema. It was named as one of the Bollywood’s top romantic films by and . is cited as a milestone in Chopra and Malhotra’s career. While, it was Malhotra’s first solo success, it was Chopra’s fourth consecutive success. Their performance in the film, has been noted as one of their most notable works. Vibha Maru from noted, “What makes unique is the character arc of its two leads. Each moment is made touching, especially when paired with Vishal–Shekhar’s timeless music.” Chopra’s character Meeta has been noted for being a different female lead in Bollywood with Chopra adding, ” is a very special film in my filmography. Meeta’s character is very close to my heart as I got to play the role of a quirky scientist in the film! She was the dark horse in her family and she is extremely sharp and has many ideas happening in her head all the time. I feel Meeta, in a way, broke the stereotype of how a heroine should be or look on-screen.” , , and have named Meeta among the strongest and inspirational female characters of Bollywood.</p>