Dulquer Salmaan and Sonam Kapoor's 'The Zoya Factor' promises to be a quirky love story surrounded by a cricket crazed setting. Born on the same day as India won the 1983 cricket World Cup, 20 something Zoya Solanki is stuck in between ad campaigns and meeting the love of her life, interestingly, she is also considered her family's lucky charm when it comes to winning matches, but when she is offered a contract to be Team India's lucky mascot and winning the big payday that she always thought of, she finds herself in a spot. So was the film able to hit a sixer? Let's find out! 

Director: Abhishek Sharma 
Cast: Dulquer Salmaan, Sonam Kapoor, Sanjay Kapoor, Angad Bedi, Sikander Kher 
Genre: Romantic-Comedy
Date released: September 20, 2019
CBFC rating: U/A
Duration: 2 hours 14 minutes

Reviewer rating: 2.5/5

Setting the Scene: 

The film based on Anuja Chauhan's 2008 novel of the same name, begins with on-screen Indian skipper Nikhil Khoda (Dulquer Salmaan) relying solely on hard work and pushing his team members to do their best in order to win the ongoing series. However, as fate would have it, they have already lost quite a few matches, due to which the morale of the Men in Blue is running low. Now,
enter Zoya Solanki (Sonam Kapoor), a clumsy, careless and a rather gullible junior copywriter who thinks her 'personal & professional life sucks'. But, for one she was born the same day as India won the 1983 Cricket World Cup, due to which she is considered the 'lucky charm' of her family, also because every time she would have breakfast with brother's gully cricket team, they would win their match. (Nonsensical isn't it?) 

Plot: 

When Zoya (Sonam Kapoor) and Nikhil Khoda (Dulquer Salmaan) meet each other, they instantly hit it off and while there's a definite spark between the two, there is something else that comes into factor. Zoya soon has the Team India eating of her hands, quite literally! Wondering why? Well, because she just happens to have breakfast with the Team after which they win a rather important match leading the superstitious team to believe that she might be lucky for cricket, and they seem to be completely sure after she narrates her 'Gully cricket times' with her brother at the table one day. Amidst all the craziness related to the nation favourite sport, is a budding romance between the main characters, which one can say fails to make an impact to the very end. 

Verdict: 

The first half of the film runs at a rather slow pace and is all about establishing Sonam Kapoor's character (Zoya Solanki) into a clumsy and careless junior copywriter. And while the writing attempts to make her character look naive and innocent, it can be rather putting off, given Sonam often chooses to play the mousy character, thus not bringing anything new to the table. However, with what she's given, Sonam pulls off her role with honesty and charisma. 
Dulquer Salmaan (Nikhil Khoda), on the other hand, seems to be the USP of the film, thus overpowering Sonam in this rather unrealistic casual love story. Although, he is not able to pull off the body language of an Indian Skipper, and makes you feel like he's more of a boy next door rather than an international cricketer. One striking and grasping point of the film that comes at the very end is the hard work vs luck debate, wherein the Men in Blue try to win a match without their lady luck. Although, by then the audience is just waiting to leave the theatres given the film's languid pace. 

What works: The music is definitely a plus, dialogues by Pradhuman Singh Mall that make the film bearable. 

What doesn't work: The chemistry between the lead, unrealistic story peg and languid pace of the film. 

READ: 'The Zoya Factor' Trailer Has Left Fans Hungry For More. Read Ahead

READ: The Zoya Factor's Sonam Kapoor Brings A Comedy Based On Cricket

READ: The Zoya Factor: Sonam Kapoor Reveals Ranbir & Alia's Lucky Charms

READ: 'The Zoya Factor' Depicts Sonam Kapoor As India's Cricket Goddess