After a lacklustre year for Bollywood in 2017, this year has really turned things around with alternative storytelling and a batch of fresh faces. The industry has unreservedly embraced the demands of a ‘New-Age’ cinema with filmmakers successfully producing original and creative content such as the likes of Bareilly Ki Barfi and Stree, which fuses authenticity, entertainment, and eccentric themes altogether. This month, the case in point is director Amit Sharma’s coming-of-age hit Badhaai Ho, which once again breathes fresh air into the industry.
What makes this film about parent pregnancy such a massive hit, and why the family entertainer is a compelling watch? We give you a rundown…
A taboo-breaker storyline
Badhaai Ho is a humble slice-of-life story with a quirky twist. Nakul Kaushik (played by Ayushmann Khurrana) lives with his parents Jeetender Kaushik and Priyamvada (Gajraj Rao and Neena Gupta) along with his grandmother and a younger brother. The entire family lands in an awkward situation when the lady of the house gets to know that she is expecting. We must have seen stories about teenage pregnancies, but this one deals with a guy of marriageable age dealing with her mother’s pregnancy as well as society’s pressure. It’s a treat to watch how the family juggles with the news, accept it and make adjustments in their lives.
Unconventional pairings
Gajraj Rao and Neena Gupta are most certainly the star couple of the movie, with their subtle romantic shades. The two have brought out beautifully the intricacies of a long lasting companionship and we want to see more of the two on-screen in future.
Introducing the fresh pair of Ayushmann Khurrana and Sanya Malhotra, the film features the two in a small yet lovable camaraderie. While Ayushmann has managed to ace the art of playing relatable characters in pertinent films; from Vicky Donor and Shubh Mangal Saavdhan to AndhaDhun, Sanya is relatively new in the industry. Here, the actress has shattered her tough girl avatar from Dangal and Patakha by playing a girl-next-door love interest.
Witty Dialogues
It isn’t the kind of film that will sweep you off your feet, but there is enough charm to get you hooked. The film almost never misses a beat whether it is fun, frolic or emotional quotient; it has so much to offer. Do not miss any instance when the elders are engaged in a dialogue; grandmother (Surekha Sikri) is like a house on fire with her sharp and amusing taunts.
Offbeat and atypical mothers-in-law
The film strikes a chord because of its authenticity of characters. We have never seen a realistic rendering of a parent-in-law with Surekha Sikri’s character standing up for her daughter-in-law in front of the extended family irrespective of her differences and daily bickering with Neena.
Also, the high-class mom of Sanya Malhotra played by Sheeba Chadda is to watch out for. No matter how much she wants to stay away from Nakul’s circus family, she respects her daughter’s freedom to choose a life partner and encourages her to support him.
Depict parents in a new light
The film explores a plot that shows parents are more than just sacrosanct beings as being projected in our society. It reviews how we put our parents on a pedestal and expect them to behave in a certain way.
The film has already earned over INR 50 crores at the box-office in five days and is still going strong.
