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Badhaai Do Movie Review: Rajkummar Rao-Bhumi Padnekar's 'Satrangi' Journey Has Its Share Of Hits & Misses
Amidst the hustle-and-bustle at a pathological clinic, their eyes meet for the first time. Secret glances are thrown at each other, smiles are exchanged as Sasha Tirupathi's melodious voice goes, "Hum they seedhe saadhe magar, ankhon se majal huyi hain." The lovers in question here are two women- Sumi (Bhumi Pednekar) and Rimjhim (Chum Darang).
Harshavardhan Kulkarni's latest outing Badhaai Do makes an earnest attempt to depict that love has no gender. Does it succeed in making a louder impact? Let's find out.
What's Yay: Concept, Performances
What's Nay: The writing loses steam in a lot of places.
Story
After an unsuccessful attempt by his family to fix his marriage alliance, Shardul Thakur (Rajkummar Rao), a cop comes across Sumi Singh (Bhumi Pednekar), a physical education teacher when the latter lands at his police station to register a complaint against a catfisher. After a few light-hearted situations, the duo end up getting hitched.
While their respective families are elated to see their kids finally settling down, there's a catch! Shardul and Sumi are closet members of the gay and lesbian community and have knowingly agreed for a marriage of convenience.
As the newly married couple walk on eggshells to keep their secret hidden from the world, Sumi falls in love with a pathologist Rimjhim (Chum Darang). Soon, the latter moves in with Shardul and Sumi. Meanwhile, Shardul's relationship with his partner Kabir hits a roadblock. What follows next is a series of comical errors which ultimately lead to a heartwarming message.
Direction
After Abhishek Kapoor's Chandigarh Kare Aashiqui which released last year, Harshavardhan Kulkarni's latest film Badhaai Do is another positive move when it comes to depicting LGBTQ+ relationships in mainstream cinema.
In an industry where the portrayal of gay and lesbian relationships have been miniscule on screen and at times used to evoke laughs at the expense of the community, this Rajkummar Rao-Bhumi Pednekar-starrer makes for a good conversation starrer in the living rooms. Exploring the theme of lavender marriage, it poses some relevant questions which needs to be asked to the society at large.
Through his queer characters Sumi and Shardul, the filmmaker throws light on how everybody in this world doesn't get a chance to live their true identities but at the same time, he also emphasizes that we are defined by the choices we make. Kulkarni who earlier helmed the 2015 adult comedy Hunterrr, deserves full marks for his sensitive gaze while telling this story.
Speaking about the areas where Badhaai Do disappoints, Harshavardhan along with his writers Suman Adhikary and Akshat Ghildial trip when it comes to penning a screenplay which keeps you engaged from the first frame till the last. There are portions where dullness seeps in and despite the talented cast on screen, your mind drifts elsewhere. The lack of taut writing makes us take away some of its points from the scorecard.
Performances
The ever dependable Rajkummar Rao pulls off yet another convincing act. As the sharp-abbed cop who once dreamt of being Mr India, the actor makes you laugh and empathize with his character. Watch out for his scene with his on-screen mother (played by Sheeba Chaddha) towards the finale of the film. Bhumi Pednekar's portrayal of Sumi makes for an endearing watch. She's a knockout performer even in the moments of silence.
Newbie Chum Darang makes a confident debut as Rimjhim and such a delight to watch on screen. Seema Pahwa and Sheeba Chaddha stand out in the rest of the ensemble cast with their relatable performances.
Technical Aspects
Swapnil Sonawane makes effective use of his camera when it comes to capturing the beaches of Goa or the soothing view of mountain landscapes and the busy bylanes of Dehradun and Mussoorie. A little more chop-chop by Kirti Nakhwa would have made Badhaai Do a more appealing watch.
Music
The title track of Badhaai Do crooned by Nakash Aziz makes for a foot-tapping wedding song. Arijit Singh's soothing vocals in 'Atank Gaya' is impressive. Sasha Tirupathi's 'Hum Thay Seedhe Saadhe' is sheer melody to the ears. Amit Trivedi and Neha Kakkar's 'Gol Gappa' is an average listen. Ankit Tiwari-Nikhita Gandhi's 'Bandi Tot' catches your attention with its quirky lyrics. 'Hum Rang Hai' talks about embracing all kinds of love while 'Maange Manzooriyan' is another loop worthy song.
Verdict
"Apni yeh duniya utni haseen hai, jitni hai haseen hum hai, Jahaam pe bhi tu hai jahan pe sukoon hai, ab toh wahin hum hain." Rajkummar Rao-Bhumi Pednekar's Badhaai Do drives home a strong message that love has no labels.
In the two-hour 'satrangi' journey with this duo, a few colors fade off in between due to clumsy writing but by the end of it, the film earns some 'badhaai' for normalizing and celebrating queer love.
We give 2.5 stars out of 5 for Rajkummar Rao-Bhumi Pednekar's Badhaai Do.
