Love Hostel, which was released on Zee5, is set in Haryana and bravely attempts to explore the danger that follows a runaway couple — Ahmed Shaukeen (Vikrant Massey) and Jyoti Dilawer (Sanya Malhotra). At a time when interfaith love, particularly when it involves a Muslim man and a Hindu woman, has been repeatedly demonised and labelled as ‘love jihad’, it takes guts to make a film like this, that puts such a couple at the heart of the plot. Directed by Shanker Raman, Love Hostel has shades of Anushka Sharma’s 2015 thriller NH10 and Nagraj Manjule’s 2016 drama Sairat, but also has its fair share of original twists.

The 100-minute film doesn’t waste any time in getting into the thick of the conflict. Jyoti, who belongs to a powerful family (her grandmother is an MLA), elopes with her lover Ahmed, escaping the wedding that her family had arranged. A psychopathic killer named Dagar (Bobby Deol) who takes great pleasure in committing ‘honour’ killings at the behest of angry families, is hot on their trail.

Sanya’s characterisation as the bold Jyoti, who refuses to be cowed down or shamed for what she’s done, comes as a breath of fresh air. Next to her, Ahmed is diffident, less inclined to stand up for her or himself in the face of authority. It’s a reminder that gender privilege doesn’t always protect men from marginalised and minority groups (you get a whiff of Islamophobia even from Jyoti). Also interesting is the characterisation of Jyoti’s family; her father is affectionate towards his daughters, but the grandmother, the matriarch, is obsessed with the ‘honour’ of their family. Jyoti’s younger brother, a mere schoolboy, beats her up when he discovers her relationship with Ahmed, and her mother, too, is a willing participant in preventing Jyoti from exercising her choice.

Ahmed, on the other hand, has a mother who appears to have Alzheimer’s and a father who is in prison. The title Love Hostel comes from the safe house that the couple goes to, supposedly protected by the state. But in a society where crimes against such couples are considered to be a matter of pride, how safe can Ahmed and Jyoti be?

Shanker creates adequate suspense in the film to keep us hooked, but the tension rapidly disappears once Dagar goes on a killing spree. Bobby Deol plays Dagar as a coldhearted, inexpressive man but the frequency with which he kills (and with no consequences whatsoever) leaves you unmoved. The deaths feel like something out of a video game, and don’t touch an emotional chord. You also start to wonder if Ahmed and Jyoti are being callous, letting so many people die for their sake. They barely grieve before washing off the blood and getting back to making declarations to each other that end up sounding juvenile, given the situation.

Love Hostel oscillates between sparks of good writing and a lack of imagination in developing the plot. For instance, a gay couple appears in a pivotal moment in the plot, and Jyoti watches a peacock striding in the background. Perhaps it stands for pride, or perhaps it stands for the beauty of their love, or even as a symbol that this too is India. It is a moment that you remember after the film has ended, but the characters themselves become forgettable because they all follow the same trajectory. Similarly, the scene when the viewer finally understands Ahmed’s job and his motivations, is staged well, with the quick exchanges and the action that unfolds, but this is again derailed because Shanker jumps too fast to the next plot thread, without letting the viewer feel the impact. The connection between Dagar and IPS officer Rathi is crucial but is explained away in a couple of scenes when it demanded much more time.

Love Hostel benefits from the fine performances of the cast, but it could and should have been a much stronger film. The ending is unexpected and a form of poetic justice, but since the film doesn’t move you, it just looks clever without offering cathartic relief. While it is a reasonably good watch, it comes off as an opportunity that feels somewhat wasted.

Disclaimer: This review was not paid for or commissioned by anyone associated with the series/film. TNM Editorial is independent of any business relationship the organisation may have with producers or any other members of its cast or crew.