Papa ko mummy se.. mummy ko papa se pyaar hai..!! we know this, we want this but right from our childhood, we have reacted in different ways whenever we have seen our parents/elders getting cozy.. aakhir kyu? !!.
Does romance, love, passion evaporates with age?, is intimacy age bound? BADHAAI HO starring Ayushmann Khurrana, Neena Gupta, Gajraj Rao, Surekha Sikri and Sanya Malhotra is a rib tickling twist to love, tradition, relationship and parenthood. A mundane, routine life of a middle class Nakul Kaushik (Ayushmann Khurrana) is going steady with his upper class girlfriend Renee (Sanya Malhotra). One fine day, the banal kirtan santsang routine of Nakul and his parents – Gajraj Rao and Neena Gupta gets a twist of their ‘life’ when Nakul’s mother is found pregnant. Grandmother (Surekha Sikri) and a younger brother Ghullan (Shardul Rana) and the whole world go wild in shock and disbelieve. How can someone having grownup children can even think of such a thing? Is it acceptable to be romantic after 40?!.
Director Amit Ravindernath Sharma squeezes this taboo mindset and the narrow mindedness of the society that expects a child from a married couple within a year but raises eyebrows when they find a couple in the age group of around 50 fit and healthy for a baby. This awkward situation is the core idea and the movie’s biggest USP which is blended in the middle class milieu with constant sly humour and emotional undercurrents making BADHAAI HO a happy feel good watch.
Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr. once said, “ The young man knows the rules, but the old man knows the exceptions, the writers Shantanu Srivastava and Akshat Ghildial give this adage a quirky turn and twine it with John Greenleaf Whittier’s saying, “ Tradition wears a snowy beard, romance is always young” with old age/school romance between a married couple and the reactions that follow throwing a mirror to the society with hilarious situations avoiding any chest beating or preaching. It’s amusing to the core and intriguing to the soul.
The writers take no extra effort in establishing their characters, its bang on right from the first frame. The kirtan session of the Kaushik’s household, the introduction of mother Neena Gupta, elder son Ayushmann Khurrana, father Gajraj Rao – a ticket checker, grandmother Surekha Sikri, younger son Gullar (Shardul Rana).
The way the writer director show the mentality that sans the class divide when people from the so called middle class rant on hearing the news of the pregnancy (the grandmother’s rant – time kab mila, sharam nahi aayi, yeh koi umar hai) and when the said upper class expresses its awkwardness in Sheeba Chaddha (Sanya Malhotra’s single socialite mother in the film) words, “ Passion and emotion is understandable but how come people can be so irresponsible, is this the time they should be doing this?, how awkward is this”. The movie commendably underlines the fact that class, status doesn,t change a mindset, dialect, choice of wheels, smart phones may vary mentality/humanity is within, it doesn,t comes with accessories.
Director Amit Ravindernath Sharma narration is easy, free flowing and balanced. The first half is filled with hilarious situations while the second half is laced with emotional overtones that can moist your eyes.
Ayushmann Khurrana is on a roll, after ANDHADHUN, the actor steals your heart in BADHAAI HO with a fascinating performance that is amazingly effortless and convincingly real to the core.
Neena Gupta delivers an ace. What a performance, she is the life of the film and the actress delivers it with all grace, poise and brilliance.
Gajraj Rao is unbelievably natural and classy. Surekha Sikri is a crowd pleaser, watch her in second half. Terrific.
Sheeba Chaddha is in a ‘class’ of her own. Shardul Rana as the younger son has its moments. Sanya Malhotra is charming and gives the movie its required diplomatic, reasonable and rational balance.
Technically a polish product with rich production values. Sanu John Verughese’s cinematography is eye pleasing. Ratheesh UK’s production design is authentic. Dev Rao Jadhav’s editing is fine. Abhishek Arora’s music feels good while one is watching.
Problem with BADHAAI HO is that it’s based on a very wafer thin plotline which needs a solid turnaround during the end reels which is not as per desired in Amit Ravindernath Sharma directed venture. The director manipulates it smartly and sugarcoats it for the masses in general, which is harmless but those looking for a deeper inside considering the out of the box idea, may ask for more..
All said and done, BADHAAI HO is a rib tickling family comedy that shoots down the traditional mundane mindset of love, age, romance, relationships and more.. Powered by flawless performances, this quirky celebration of parenthood has the right ingredients of humanity and heart that makes it naturally pleasing to the core.
