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Kaun Banegi Shikharwati Review: Light-Hearted Dysfunctional Family Drama That Will Tickle Your Funny Bone
Kaun Banegi Shikharwati tries to bring back the era when dysfunctional family dramas had a mixed balance of entertainment and comedy. The show also goes on to be successful with the same with its caricaturish character portrayals and plot. Despite the melodrama being extremely prominent, one comes to know that the show has its heart in the right place as it gradually progresses.
What's Yay: Some subtle funny moments, Kritika Kamra's performance and the production design
What's Nay: Some dialogues and scenes try too hard to evoke laughter, the plot gets a little messy at some parts.
Story
Shikharwati's king, Raja Mrityunjay (Naseeruddin Shah) is living amidst a dying legacy, ruining palace, angry subjects and massive debt. Despite his many eccentricities, he and his trusted advisor Mishraji (Raghubir Yadav) hatch a plan to bring back the king's four estranged daughters who had left him after being pitted against each other by him to toughen up after their mother's death.
As the princesses are brought back to help Shikharwati repay its debts to escape the clutches of the income tax department, they are once again pitted against each other in the 'Royal Games'. These games not only decide the fate of Shikharwati but also lead to a whole new comedy of errors.
Direction
Directors Gaurav KK Chawla and Ananya Banerjee have tried to instil a heartwarming tale of a family coming together again after a phase of estrangement. The sense of nostalgia and underlying love that the Shikharwati princesses have for each other is delved deep upon in the writing by Ananya Banerjee. One of the main highlights of Kaun Banegi Shikharwati is that every character is well defined with their characteristics.
Be it Mrityunjay's eccentricity, Mishraji's loyalty, Devyani's pride, Gayatri's reclusive nature, Kamini's vivacity and Uma's lack of esteem, all the character's distinct features enhances as the story progresses. Other interesting aspects were the comedic subtleties like a wobbly age-old butler, Gayatri's intriguing children, Kamini's dog being named Avocado and an amusing dig at the recent hit Korean series Squid Game.
However, the show falters at some far-fetched dialogues and sub-plots which try too hard to evoke laughter. The concluding portions get too chaotic, especially the mystery plot of Shikharwati's hidden treasure. Those portions could've been executed in a more nuanced manner.
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Performances
Naseeruddin Shah brings in the right amount of humour and sentiments in his titular role of Raja Mrityunjay. However, though his performance makes the character look endearing, his act came across as a little far-fetched at times. Raghubir Yadav delivers a stellar performance as Mishraji. There's never a dull moment when he's on-screen. Lara Dutta portrays Princess Devyani who craves perfection in every aspect of her life. Dutta brought out that elitist charm in her character efficiently.
Soha Ali Khan brings in the right amount of calm and intensity as the isolationist Princess Gayatri who has several skeletons in her closet. Anya Singh though a comparatively fresh face showcases a confident performance as the nervous, allergy-battling Uma whose low self-esteem comes in her way despite her being a talented gamer. Cyrus Sahukar, Varun Thakur and Anurag Sinha do justice to their brief roles.
However, it is Kritika Kamra who entices the viewers with her hilarious performance as Princess Kamini. Her social media influencing stint coupled with dreaming about her Prince Charming and owning a dog named Avocado made up for some of the most entertaining moments on Kaun Banegi Shikharwati. Her performance may remind one of Kareena Kapoor Khan's iconic character Pooh from Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham. Watch out for the child actors who played Soha Ali Khan's children Padma and Dhanur from the film, they are impeccable in every frame.
Technical Aspects
The production design by Priya Suhas is articulate and brings in the required opulence and grandeur of the backdrop of the royal palace of Shikharwati. The music by Anurag Saikia acts as a considerable catalyst to take the plot forward. The song 'Chan Chan' especially is pleasant to the ears. The cinematography by Linesh and Srijan captures the beauty of Rajasthan perfectly.
Verdict
Watch Kaun Banegi Shikharwati to experience a fresh dysfunctional family comedy flick after a long time. The series also hints towards a possible sequel. We give Kaun Banegi Shikharwati, 3 out of 5 stars.
