Badhaai Ho Movie Review - Another decent picture in theatres!

Badhaai HoUA Comedy dramaDir Amit Ravindernath SharmaCast Ayushmann Khurrana Neena Gupta Gajraj RaoRatingI walked into this film quite a few minutes late Or rather at the exact point which in screenwriting jargon will be referred to as end of Act I mdash when the setup is complete and the films essential goalpoint gets lockedrevealed Which if youve seen this pics promo you will know is the fact that a fairly old post middleaged couple who should be expecting grandchildren by now realise that they in fact are accidentally going to become parents all over againThe son a working professional Ayushmann Khurrana is deeply embarrassed by this news The father Gajraj Rao a ticket collector in Northern Railways doesnt have much of a say although it does appear that he feels secretly accomplished The mom doesnt wish to abort the child Neena Gupta 59 plays this pivotal part in a rare mainstream Hindi movie that is pretty much centred on aged folkIm told Tabu was originally approached for this lead role She recommended Gupta instead mdash a hugely underratedunderutilised actor whos probably still remembered more for her films in the 80s Saath Saath Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro or her studiedly matured work on television from Buniyaad down to Saans Given how she viscerally warms your heart tapping into the adorably desi beats of a quiet understated caring albeit expectant mother one could recommend the movie entirely for Gupta aloneThe one who deserves Badhaai ho or congrats as it were is Khurrana of course On one hand he has a stellar suspensethriller Andhadhun that released less than two weeks ago still playing at a neighbourhood theatre while this one is likely to be simultaneously loved although it is more in line with his other sexrelated sliceoflife comedies Vicky Donor 2012 spermdonation Dum Lagake Haisha 2015 overweight wife Shubh Mangal Saavdhan 2017 male impotencyIn that sense Badhaai Ho on late pregnancy is just as funny and as much fun even as the point of the picture might seem progressively belaboured The film isnt obviously so much about Khurranas character But there is enough meat and backstory for him to ace it all the way shine on with a swag joined as he is by an incredible ensemble cast mdash his posh girlfriend Sanya Malhotra the boy playing his brother even the fellow who bullies him in school or the completely OTT granny Surekha Sikri mdash turning this lightweight shindig into an intrinsically Indian relationship drama with a gamut of emotions only on occasion descending into melodrama going slightly deeper into delicate equations between father mother and their sons grandmother and her daughterinlaw and indeed the big fat Indian familyAt its core the central themeconcept isnt wholly original though Back in the day Bud Yorkins Never Too Late 1965 starring Maureen OSullivan Paul Ford was based on the same thoughtpremise which is a pretty thin one to begin with if you ask me But its really the performances in this picture more so the writing mdash that seeks so much delight in the DelhiMeerut mundane mdash that lifts the screenplay by firsttimer Akshat Ghildial waited around in the closing credits to jot down the name and competent direction by Amit Ravindernath Sharma that makes this altogether a firstrate comedy of lowermiddleclass mannersYou notice some stray messages on the duality of the colloquialHindi speaking boys in a supposedly sophisticated Englishspeaking world You sort of smile at the fairlycasual observation on how kids inevitably refer to schoolmates seniors in particular by their full name as if its a rollcall Sumit Malik You marvel at how the actors get their Meeruthiya twang and the specifically theth rustic humour so frickin right while so many movies set in the same space sound Haryanvi instead The sum of these asides is clearly greater than the whole Totally regret having turned up late Will certainly watch the movies first few minutes at some point You should catch all of it in the meanwhile for sureWatchBadhaai Ho TrailerCatch up on all the latest entertainment news and gossip here Also download the new midday Android and iOS apps to get latest updates