Luv and Ria are college classmates who cannot stand the sight of each other, until constant friction slowly turns into love. When they decide to marry, Ria's stubborn father Kanubha revives an old grudge he has carried against Luv's father. To win his blessing, the young couple must satisfy a bizarre condition he sets, turning their romance into a comic test of patience.
Half Ticket, subtitled from love to lagan, is a light romantic comedy from the busy 2016 Gujarati slate, written and directed by Ashish Bhatt and produced by Ashok Sakariya under The Parth Films banner. It follows the familiar enemies-to-lovers arc: Luv and Ria, campus rivals who bicker their way into a relationship and then run headfirst into her father's obstinacy and an old family grudge.
The film sits squarely in the crowd-friendly urban Gujarati mould, trading on the breezy chemistry between Nayan Shukla and Toral Trivedi and a song-driven structure with music by Manoj Vimal and vocals from the likes of Aishwarya Majmudar and Pamela Jain. There is little here that Gujarati audiences had not seen before, and the family-feud complication that powers the second half is as old as the genre itself, but the tone stays warm and the story moves through its beats without pretension. Supporting turns from Sanat Vyas and the older cast keep the comic obstacles ticking along.
It carries a 6.7 on IMDb, modest but positive for a film pitched entirely at feel-good weekend audiences. The plotting is predictable and the emotional stakes never rise very high, yet the film is honest about being exactly what it looks like on the poster. Watch it if you want an undemanding Gujarati rom-com with hummable songs and a happy ending you can see coming from the very first reel, and nothing heavier than that.
Verdict
A pleasant, predictable rom-com that delivers exactly what its poster promises. Fine for an undemanding weekend watch, forgettable beyond it.
What works
- Easy lead-pair chemistry
- Hummable, well-sung soundtrack
- Warm, feel-good tone
- Brisk, uncomplicated storytelling
What holds it back
- Entirely predictable plot
- Recycled family-feud conflict
- Low emotional stakes
- Adds nothing new to the genre
Cast & crew
Writers: Ashish Bhatt
Music: Manoj Vimal
Cast: Nayan Shukla (Luv), Toral Trivedi (Ria), Sanat Vyas, Sharad Sharma, Devendra Pandit
Producers: Ashok Sakariya (The Parth Films Production)
Watch the trailer
Play the official trailer on YouTubeMore Romance Gujarati films
Frequently asked
Is Half Ticket worth watching?
A pleasant, predictable rom-com that delivers exactly what its poster promises. Fine for an undemanding weekend watch, forgettable beyond it. Kevu Che rates it 3 out of 5.
What is Half Ticket about?
Luv and Ria are college classmates who cannot stand the sight of each other, until constant friction slowly turns into love. When they decide to marry, Ria's stubborn father Kanubha revives an old grudge he has carried against Luv's father. To win his blessing, the young couple must satisfy a bizarre condition he sets, turning their romance into a comic test of patience.
What is the IMDb rating of Half Ticket?
Half Ticket (2016) holds an IMDb rating of 6.7 out of 10.