Directed by Bobby Khan, Ek Paheli Leela is a reincarnation tale about a love triangle starring Sunny Leone, Jay Bhanushali and Mohit Ahlawat. The plot is not all that unconventional but a twist lies at the end of the tale which is not given away in the trailers and promos of the film!

Sunny’s sex appeal was thoroughly used to market the film but is that all that there is to Ek Paheli Leela? Read on to find out…

What’s it about

The film starts with Prince Bikram (Jas Arora) searching relentlessly for an ancient statue at the Bhairon Virajna ruins as it is worth millions of rupees. As we are left wondering what’s the statue about the film cuts to Meera (Sunny Leone), the supermodel from Milan who is performing the show “Bollywood spectacular” in London. She has a troubled past and keeps popping anti-depressants to keep her troubles at bay, only to leave them simmering at the surface. Cut to Mumbai where is Karan (Jay Bhanushali), a struggling musician is trying to make it big in the music industry. A photographer named Radhika (Shivani Tanksale) who is also Karan’s sister wants to do a photoshoot with Meera in Rajasthan and Andy (VJ Andy) arranges for the same as he is Meera’s friend. The one big problem is that Meera has a phobia of flying in airplanes so she turns down Radhika’s offer. But Radhika and Andy trick Meera into boarding a plane to Rajasthan after getting her drunk. Though upset at first, Meera comes to fall in love with the deserts of Rajasthan and she agrees to shoot. While shooting they chance upon Prince Ranveer Singh (stoically played by Mohit Ahlawat) who falls in love with Meera instantly and after a few days proposes to her. Meera and Prince Ranveer’s love-story runs simultaneously with Karan’s story in Mumbai. He is plagued by painful nightmares and distorted memories which haunt him every night. Seeking the meaning of the same Karan meets a guru who tells him that it is unfinished business of his past life that is making his present traumatic. He finds out that 300 years ago he was a sculptor named Shravan (Rajniesh Duggal) who worked for Bhairon (Rahul Dev) and was in love with Leela (Sunny Leone). Karan in his past life as Shravan convinces Leela to be Bhairon’s muse but the latter falls insanely in love with her. Upon finding out about Shravan and Leela, Bhairon kills them both in mad rage. Shravan’s reincarnated spirit Karan in order to tie loose ends visits Bhairon Virajna in Rajasthan which is controversially owned by Prince Ranveer’s elder brother Prince Bikram. After a series of events Karan is convinced that Ranveer is the reincarnation of evil Bhairon. Will Karan manage to save Meera and convince her about her past life as Leela? You’ll have to watch the movie to find that out!

What’s hot

Well, that is not too difficult to point out, it’s Sunny Leone of course. The ex-pornstar looks ravishing in every frame and you can’t take your eyes off her.

I went into the movie theatre thinking that this film will be just like any other Sunny film, exploiting the bodacious babe’s sex appeal in embellished bikinis and skimpy outfits, riding on the buxom beauty to tug at the audience’s libido. But shockingly enough the film’s plot has a complex role for Sunny and its not just about her tits and ass! Surprisingly enough, she seems more convincing as the Rajasthani dame Leela from 300 years ago than Meera the supermodel! Sunny mouthing dialogues in Marwari is pretty impressive! Undoubtedly, the film’s USP is the ex-pornstar being raunchy in revealing two pieces but you have to watch it to see another side of her.

The other actors aren’t exactly outstanding in their performances but as an ensemble cast somehow Ek Paheli Leela works! Jay Bhanushali plays Karan in full Bollywood “punarjanam” flair, reminding us of a Karz or a Karan Arjun easily. I wished Mohit Ahlawat would have eased up a little bit during his scenes instead of having a scrunched up expression throughout. Rahul Dev as the evil master sculptor is superb and Rajneish Duggal is endearing as Shravan. The plot of the film may sound like any other reincarnation drama in Bollywood but it is not! The promos haven’t given away the major plot twist of the film and you need to watch it in theatres for that!

What’s not

Well, just like any other Bollywood reincarnation drama, this film too tucks away logic under the rug at several instances. For instance, who pops anti-depressants like Nutties for claustrophobia. And why would Karan seek answers to understand the reason behind his recurrent nightmares at a “guru” and not a psychiatrist. They did go into an “andhavishwaas” overdrive there and asked for way too much suspension of disbelief! Sunny’s fake accent in the first half is damn annoying but I guess we should blame that on her voice-over artist.

There is no chemistry between Sunny and Mohit Ahlawat even though they have a super-steamy sex scene in the film. Some of the supporting actors, like VJ Andy, Jas Arora and Ahsaan Qureshi are a tad bit over-enthusiastic and exaggerated in their scenes. Andy doesn’t really give viewers a reason to take him seriously and is merely reduced to laughing stock because well, he is a flamboyant gay person (isn’t it time we do away with that ridiculous and homophobic stereotype?) The product placement for an air travel company is rather blatant, hence hilarious. Some of Sunny’s outfits are downright tacky and it seems like the production ran out of budget to give her clothes that make her look like an actual supermodel or a Rajasthani princess.

The film’s 2 hours and 25 minutes long run-time made me uneasy because it could have been wrapped up in 2 hours. The songs were unimpressive and unoriginal except for Desi Look which though sounds exactly like Deepika Padukone’s Lovely, has Sunny’s tadka added to it.

Verdict

If you have some free time on you this weekend and you are a fan of Sunny’s Desi Look, go watch the film. Its entertaining and a fun watch!

Rating:3 out of 5