Refreshingly honest and ENTERTAINING film

Director: Amit Ravindernath Sharma Cast: Ayushmann Khurrana, Sanya Malhotra, Neena Gupta, Gajraj Rao, Sheeba Chaddha, Surekha Sikri, Rahul Tewari, Vimi Mehta Rating:

Badhaai Ho is an astutely handled, slice of life drama that keeps you entertained as three generations of the same family are all touched one way or another by social embarrassment when the lady of the house and mother of two “grown up” sons, unexpectedly finds herself pregnant once again.

Set in a typical middle class milieu in New Delhi, the story revolves around the Kaushik family. Jitendra Kaushik (Gajraj Rao) aka Jeetu, is a near retiring Railway Ticket Collector who lives with his spouse Priyamvada (Neena Gupta) whom he fondly addresses as Bubbly, his aged mother essayed by Surekha Sikri and his two sons - Nakul and Gular. While Gular is in his final year at school, Nakul (Ayushmann Khurrana) the older one works in an IT company.

The film begins with the simplest and most ordinary manner in introducing the family and interrupts it with the amazing inciting moment, announcing the arrival of a “chota mehmaan”, without resorting to any assortment of gimmicks. It is some kind of tribute to the strength of the story and the warmth of the performances by Gajraj Rao, Neena Gupta, Ayushmann Khurrana, Surekha Sikri and Sanya Malhotra, that the film somehow manages almost to work. Yes, their expressions while reacting to the situation are priceless. It goes without saying that the entire cast gel like a family and their pangs onscreen are palpable. Ayushman Khurrana and Sanya Malhotra as Renee his colleague, make a cute pair and their love story plays a pleasant sub-plot to the narrative. Sheeba Malhotra as Renee’s mother is shortchanged with a miniscule, non-effective role, but her line, “His family is a circus, I don’t want to buy tickets for”, would surely etch her character into the minds of the audience. It is touching to note how in the guise of geriatric behaviour, Surekha Sikri blurts out some home truths and defends her daughter-in-law, when in other circumstances she would be constantly bickering with her.

The script is unwavering. Narrated in a completely straight-forward manner, the progression of this ordinary story is interrupted by some situational comedy that keeps the narrative afloat.

Overall, in keeping with the context and the culture of the hypocritical society we live in, Badhaai Ho is a welcome change.