Badhaai Ho Viewers, You Have A Treat Awaiting At Cinemas Near You

• Bollywood News
• Updated:October 18, 2018 12:19 IST

• Authors: Yatharth Chauhan (Editorial Team)
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There are two major parallels to draw in this self-effacing middle class drama (Yes I’d like to believe it’s drama first). Amit Sharma the director while trying to make us live a story that surprisingly wasn’t thought of before, lets it find its own way. The easy to clutch comedy is as effortless as it could get. But as soon as the film dwells deeper in the dramatic layers of its narration, it purposefully chooses to use enhancements like the background score, tearing ups & everything else an average Indian viewer likes. What’s interesting you ask? You almost find yourself rooting for the melodrama, which I believe is Badhaai Ho’s victory.

Jeetender Kaushik a TTE in Northern Railways lives in Delhi’s Lodhi Colony with his family including two sons, a mother and a wife who he can’t stop playing an adoring husband to. At a stage of life when the world would least expect, the husband-wife make an embarrassing announcement as they prepare their family to welcome a ‘Chota Mehmaan’. The obvious embarrassment causes both sons to scorn their own parents while the couple decides to get on with it. What follows is an experience Badhaai Ho wants you to live.

The film in honesty in an extension of what we’ve seen in the trailer but Badhaai Ho is one of those movies that you watch for what it makes you feel than what it surprises you with. The middle class family in its own shell is so modern in its values that Amit Sharma easily manages to showcase the societal hypocrisy, contrasting outlook of generations and on top of it an ageless romance that remained as my happiest takeaway from the film.

It is certain to make you laugh harder than you have in the recent times and it’s potent enough to moist your eyes too. It’s undeniably commendable how Amit has translated his middle class understandings to the minutest of details which obviously have found a great support from the performances. The Delhi-Merrut setting seems authentic to the level that it really means business while the casting is remarkably bang on. While most of its elements find space in the list of its strengths, Ayushmann and Sanya’s romantic track would sadly feature at the bottom of the same list. It’s not like the screenplay gives it more space than it deserved, but in contrast to the amazingly knitted family drama, their romance still stays as my second favorite one from the movie. The music is good with the title track in particular being the most enjoyable.

Badhaai Ho wouldn’t be half of what it turns out to be had it not been for its performances. Watching Neena Gupta on screen after long was enough for me to go home as a satisfied viewer but it offered way more than I could wish for. Neena Gupta’s performance is a testament of how a great actor will never find it impossible to pull off something as challenging as this. Gajraj Rao lives this character like he was meant for it and gives it a life that will take some doing to get it off your mind. Surekha Sikri as the Dadi is top notch while displaying her many shades of fury as well as warmth. Sanya Malhotra is earnest while the young Shardul Rana who comes from the very backdrop the film is based in catches your eye while Ayushmann Khuranna is setting new benchmarks.

The sheer versatility the actor has displayed from Andhadhun to this one is feet sweepingly impressive. More than his adaptability to the setting of the story, it’s the emotions he grips you most with. He makes you laugh, cry and more importantly makes you feel for his character.

This is the kind of writing we deserve so long as we’re talking about content coupled with entertainment. Badhaai Ho viewers, you have a treat awaiting at cinemas near you.