Feb. 04, 2022|India|131 Min.|R
Genre: Action;Bollywood;Comedy;Crime;Romance;Thriller
Description: **Looop Lapeta 2022: A Bollywood Adaptation Struggles to Match Its Source**
Looop Lapeta, the 2022 Netflix film starring Taapsee Pannu and Tahir Raj Bhasin, highlights Bollywood’s inability to craft a concise, high-concept B-movie. Unlike its inspiration, the 1998 German thriller *Run Lola Run*, which won acclaim at the Sundance Festival, Looop Lapeta is bogged down by unnecessary plotlines, subplots, and backstories. The film even includes a song sequence that further slows its pacing. While *Run Lola Run* was a tight 89 minutes, Looop Lapeta stretches to 130 minutes, diluting its impact with distractions.
These extra 40 minutes introduce numerous side characters, weakening the momentum crucial for a thriller. The protagonist’s mission—to gather Rs. 50 lakh in 50 minutes—loses tension whenever the narrative strays. For a story centered on a tight timeline, maintaining urgency is essential. Director Tom Tykwer understood this in *Run Lola Run*, using kinetic energy to drive the story. However, Aakash Bhatia, making his feature debut with Looop Lapeta, fails to grasp what made the original a cult classic.
With four writers involved—three of whom have no prior filmwriting experience—the film suffers from inconsistency. This inexperience, combined with an overstuffed narrative, results in a lackluster adaptation. Despite Bhatia’s clear admiration for *Run Lola Run*, evident in subtle references like Lola’s silhouette in a casino, Looop Lapeta misses the mark, leaving audiences craving the streamlined intensity of its predecessor.
Cast director: Aakash Bhatia
Cast actor: Taapsee Pannu, Tahir Raj Bhasin, Shreya Dhanwanthary, Dibyendu Bhattacharya, Rajendra Chawla, K.C. Shankar, Suresh Triveni, Manik Papneja, Raghav Raj Kakker, Sameer Kevin Roy
Original name: लूप लपेटा