Tillu Square is that rare sequel that improves on the original in nearly every aspect. The first film, after a hilarious first half, was brought down by a messy second half and it is evident that the writers have been very cautious about dodging the second-half syndrome this time. As a result, we get a true sequel that not just traces the progress of the protagonist and the lingering consequences of his murky past, but also fixes the issues from the first film. For instance, the major issue with the second half of the original was that when new characters entered and the crime took centre stage, it sucked the joy out of the narrative. In the sequel, even if the crime is introduced right after the interval, the focus remains on the weird relationship between Tillu and Lily, and the adventures our guy is forced into.
The film relies entirely on Tillu’s personality and it doesn’t disappoint. His countless one-liners, most of them delivered with a straight face, work like a charm. What makes it work, even in familiar situations is Tillu, who is just incredibly likable. Most of the gags are just Tillu explaining to people all the terrible situations he has been dragged into and the analogies he has in store to back up these stories are outright hilarious; it is impossible to pick a handful because the film is filled with countless original jokes that emanate directly from Tillu’s personality.
At a time when films often aim for low-hanging fruits by simply referring to viral online content, memes, and other social media trends, the humour in Tillu Square is refreshing because almost every joke is based on Tillu and the deep mess he is in. I believe films should inspire pop-culture discourse, and not the other way around and Tillu Square is a worthy addition in this line.
