A shy, well-off young man chasing a career as a theatre actor lives with dissociative identity disorder, and his competing personalities keep hijacking his life. As those alter egos surface at the worst possible moments, his romantic and professional plans collapse into chaos and comedy. The film mixes broad Gujarati humour with songs and a late twist as he tries to hold his fractured self together.
Dramebaaj is a small December 2021 Gujarati comedy that marked the screen launch of lead actor Adesh Singh Tomar. Written and directed by the team of Gunveen Kaur and Robin Sikarwar, it runs on an unusual hook for a mainstream Gujju entertainer, its hero is a struggling theatre actor from a wealthy family who lives with dissociative identity disorder, so his several personalities keep colliding and turning his life upside down.
The film never had a wide release or a mainstream critical review, and it sits on a thin base of IMDb ratings, so any verdict comes with a caveat. The audience scores it does carry are warm, with viewers pointing to the melodious Kedar and Bhargav songs, a second-half twist, and a cast led by Chetan Daiya and Kalpana Gagdekar that plays the comedy broadly. It is the kind of local release that lives on word of mouth rather than press.
On its own terms Dramebaaj is a light, song-driven comedy built around a gimmicky but promising premise. The multiple-personality conceit gives it more shape than the average slapstick outing, and the runtime past two hours is generous. Treat the high headline rating with caution given how few people have logged it, but if you want an easygoing, family-safe Gujarati comedy from the post-pandemic wave, this one is a mild, harmless watch.
Verdict
A light, song-heavy Gujarati comedy with an unusual multiple-personality hook. Pleasant enough, but it flew too far under the radar to really judge.
What works
- Fresh dissociative-identity comedy premise
- Melodious Kedar and Bhargav soundtrack
- Second-half twist keeps it moving
- Family-safe, light-hearted tone
What holds it back
- Barely released, tiny ratings base
- No mainstream critical coverage
- Broad, gimmick-driven humour
- Runs long past two hours
Cast & crew
Writers: Gunveen Kaur, Robin Sikarwar
Music: Kedar & Bhargav
Cast: Adesh Singh Tomar, Chetan Daiya, Kalpana Gagdekar, Sinhali Vala, Gaurang Anand
Producers: Gunveen Kaur, Robin Sikarwar, Foram Naidu, Prakash Naidu
Watch the trailer
Play the official trailer on YouTubeMore Comedy Gujarati films
Frequently asked
Is Dramebaaj worth watching?
A light, song-heavy Gujarati comedy with an unusual multiple-personality hook. Pleasant enough, but it flew too far under the radar to really judge. Kevu Che rates it 3 out of 5.
What is Dramebaaj about?
A shy, well-off young man chasing a career as a theatre actor lives with dissociative identity disorder, and his competing personalities keep hijacking his life. As those alter egos surface at the worst possible moments, his romantic and professional plans collapse into chaos and comedy. The film mixes broad Gujarati humour with songs and a late twist as he tries to hold his fractured self together.
What is the IMDb rating of Dramebaaj?
Dramebaaj (2021) holds an IMDb rating of 8.3 out of 10 from 40 votes.