Kajol and Kriti Sanon in Indian Netflix series

Dupati (two cards) is a film with an identity crisis, and neither director Shashanka Chaturvedi nor writer-co-producer Kanika Dhillon seem entirely sure of their original instincts.

Is this a twisted story about identical twins (one good, one bad)? Or is this another hill station mystery? (For some reason, streaming platforms seem obsessed with these—think Netflix’s Alanyak or serial killer ladyWalter’s candy or ZEE5 Rautu’s Secret. Perhaps hoping the beautiful mountain views will distract from the rough storytelling.

Is this an impassioned statement on domestic violence, or a courtroom drama where it’s hard to tell who’s playing whom? This is an exploration of the nature of justice, an exploration of which is more important, the letter of the law or the spirit of the law?

Dupati Trying to do it all, but mostly ending up being a mess.

When Dhillon (also an architect at Netflix) Hashim Dilruba When asked in an interview what Kanika Dhillon is like as a woman, she replied that her characters embody strength, vulnerability and complexity and that they are nuanced and authentic characters . Although it is true in Rumi’s case Manmaziyan with bobby What is judgment? Even to a certain extent for Rani. Hashim Dilrubathese qualities confuse Saumya and Shailee, the twins played by Kriti Sanon Dupati.

It’s easy to see why Sanon (also a co-producer) chose Dupati as the first feature film from her production company, Blue Butterfly Films. This dual role provides her with the opportunity to showcase her abilities – from the timid, shaky Saumya, who suffers from anxiety and depression, to the defiant, vengeful Shailee, who seems to stop at nothing to get at her sister. , Sanon continues: Both parts are full of gumption and sincerity.

But the movie isn’t as clever as it thinks it is. The trope of twins with identical looks but vastly different personalities has been a staple of Hindi cinema for decades. Dilip Kumar sets the gold standard ram and sham Nearly 60 years ago; Hema Malini cemented her stardom with brilliant doubles Sita and Gita (Which Dupati references in the dialogue); and then the wonderful Sridevi played both Anju and Manju in the show Charbaz.

and DupatiHowever, Dhillon appears to have drawn inspiration from the 1971 ShamiliIn the play, Rakhee plays Kanchan and Kamini, one is lively, outgoing and more westernized, the other is meek, shy and wears Indian clothes. No prizes for guessing which one ends up being evil and which one ends up getting the guy.

Fifty-three years later, the signifiers of good and bad are the same. Shelly enjoys drinking, smoking, and wearing scantily clad clothes. Even when testifying in court, she couldn’t help but expose her midriff. Of course, Soumya avoided all this. Both sisters are obsessed with Dhruv (Shahir Shaikh), the scion of a wealthy politician, although we can’t understand why – he has done terrible things, especially to Saumya. While Shaikh showed some spark, he, like the rest of the cast, was disappointed by the script.

To spice up this clichéd plot, Dillon adds an unreliable narrator: Maggie, the sisters’ childhood nanny. Actor Tanvi Azmi’s performance is so solid that she can save even the silliest scenes. In it, she gives Dhruv two glasses of sherbet, and when he reaches for one, she looks at him meaningfully, suggesting that he may have made the wrong choice.

But the worst thing about this production is Kajol, in her first police role. The character is Vidya Jyothi (meaning “beacon of knowledge and light”), a single woman determined to bring order and justice to the sleepy fictional village of Devipur. While the character has a storyline, it only plays out on the surface as she investigates the murder accusations against Dhruv. Aside from one scene where Vidya is attacked, giving us a glimpse of her vulnerability, she is largely a one-note character.

Vidya holds a law degree and continues to fight cases in the courts as a lawyer. A quick Google search revealed that Indian Police Service officers cannot actually become advocates because advocates are not allowed to be full-time salaried employees of the government.

but Dupati Little regard is given to facts or even rough logic. Vidya’s Haryanvi accent fades in and out. The paragliders play a pivotal role in the plot, but the CGI is so clunky that it’s impossible to believe these characters are actually in the air. Perhaps the most unkind editing, however, is the predictable climactic twist. This chaotic film remains chaotic until the very end.