Darlings – No Darling!!! PK Verdict Tin**

Darlings: either they entertain you or exhaust you. Unfortunately, this one does latter. 

What was supposed to be a good OTT desert turns out to be an absolute tasteless starter.

Dark Comedy becomes a flat dark tragedy. The frog and Scorpion’s metaphor gave us a good craving creating an appetite for more, unfortunately Darlings doesn’t offer a minute more of entertainment from its trailer. Trailer can be easily watched as a short film on YouTube. 

Debutant Director, Jasmeet Reen refurbishes Khoon Bhari Maang and presents you Darlings. The treatment is that of eighties, women have empowered better than what we see Badru empowering from a Frog to a Scorpion and then a frog again. Leaving you with an end credit warning “ violence against women is injurious to health”. And Taapsee Pannu did teach us that in Thappad. God knows what makes Badru (Alia Bhat) live in this toxic relationship where drunk husband beats her almost each night. Government jobs don’t come with a permission to drink while at work, where TC is termed as Toilet Cleaner. Too old class. This is what we get in the name of comedy a pure tragedy. Vijay Maurya is a great dialogue writer, wonder what happened here in Darlings. He plays inspector in the film and the dialogue you hear in the trailer “mathe par kya likha hai” is what you resonate the most watching the film.

I wish the makers were more creative in ringing in the old story with new dynamics. A frog who almost turns out to be a scorpion pulls out to be a frog again. Hence, makers proves the phrase, “frog of a well” who fails to advance its journey in the need of the hour. The only good thing Darlings has is, its cast. Alia Bhat and Shefali Shah rule the roost. Vijay Verma is stellar too doesn’t disappoint and neither does Roshan Mathew. Their surprise element is easily predictable from the title itself. Darlings is plural and Alia Bhat alone is not the Darling. Song though lovely makes it quite obvious. 

The film is a drag and makers disappoint you making Darlings Strictly No Darlings.

PK Verdict: Tin**