Who can forget Seema Pahwa’s epic performance in Shubh Mangal Saavdhan? Pahwa played Bhumi's mother in the film. Therefore, what made Shubh Mangal Saavdhan applaudable is the fact that it never made us feel that way, yet managed to put the point across. But could it have been a conscious decision on Prasanna and Kewalya’s part to ensure an entire family, with members from every age group, could sit down and watch it, without cringing or feeling uncomfortable?įor let's face it, the mere mention of 'sex' or anything related to that makes Indian's awkward. Shubh Mangal Saavdhan was termed prude and pseudo-woke, for it played into the taboo by not mentioning the very issue they were trying to normalise erectile dysfunction. Now, this received some criticism from a certain section of the audience.
We never really hear that phrase in the 2-hour long film - except for the writing on a book that read Erectile Dysfunction towards the end. Win-win.ĭirector Prasanna and writer Hitesh Kewalya played it smart when they addressed the issue of erectile dysfunction without actually mentioning the term. The audience clearly gets the metaphor, too. And that's how Mudit manages to explain his gents problem to Sugandha. In a way, Mudit and Sugandha's camaraderie and ease on screen was a product of Ayushmann and Bhumi's camaraderie and ease off-screen.Ģ: Jab Parle-G aur chai ne bujhai 'gents problem' wali paheliĮk chai mein duba hua biscuit? Well, nobody likes it soggy. Their chemistry was first seen in Dum Laga Ke Haisha (2015), a film which marked Bhumi's debut in Bollywood. The Ayushmann-Bhumi duo aced their roles in Shubh Mangal Saavdhan. Their romance brews and strengthens, despite the lack of physical intimacy, shouldered on complete trust and understanding of one another. That aside, 'Shubh Mangal Saavdhan' keeps you entertained long enough to make it worth a watch.While Mudit is embarrassed about his problem, especially in front of his fiancé, Sugandha doesn't think much of it. It's quite the disappointment, and while that doesn't negate the undeniable effort put in by the cast, it makes you wonder why the narrative suddenly went limp. For some reason, the screenplay resorts to an unconvincing turning point towards the end, followed by a few more absurd sequences, including a seemingly forced cameo before going flat out overboard. Prasanna's ability to balance comedy with sincerity, and the film works largely because of this.īut, much like Mudit's character, the film is unable to perform when it matters the most - the climax. This scene itself shows writer-director R.S. It works on multiple levels by being hilarious and heartwarming at the same time, as we see a mother making an honest and uncomfortable attempt to give her daughter a crash course in sex-ed – albeit a little too late. There's a scene where she tries to teach her grown-up daughter Sugandha about the birds and bees by drawing comparisons to a popular Arabian folk tale.
She has nailed down the traditionally modern mother in the recent past (as seen in 'Bareilly Ki Barfi'), and can clearly continue to make her career based on that oxymoron. However, Seema Pahwa deserves a special mention. This makes the comedy work exactly how and when it’s meant to without stooping to raunchy humour. Additionally, they’re surrounded by a group of talented supporting actors who blend in seamlessly without being too overbearing. But it works, so there’s no need to fix it. Ayushmann and Bhumi are able to recreate the magic of being together on-screen, even if their characters aren’t exactly new or challenging to either actor. The whole premise would fall flat without them playing so well off of each other. This is because the lead pair has an affable chemistry between them - an absolutely essential element when dealing with such a private 'Gents problem' (as the film calls it). Review: Is it possible to create a Hindi film around the 'touchy' subject of erectile dysfunction without being downright crass about it? Turns out that it is, and quite a funny one at that. But the twist in the tale comes when the groom discovers that he suffers from erectile dysfunction.
The story revolves around Mudit Sharma (Ayushmann Khurrana) and Sugandha (Bhumi Pednekar) who fall in love and plan to get married. Story: ‘Shubh Mangal Saavdhan’ is a remake of the Tamil film ‘Kalyana Samayal Saadham’ made in 2013.