Movie Review: Badhaai Ho..calls for all manner of celebration

While the central premise in and of itself is funny, there is little else that Badhaai Ho could have offered from a plot perspective. However, the way the movie is packaged and presented, coupled with wonderful performances from the entire cast (especially the older folks), elevate what would've been an ordinary movie to a celebration that stays with you long after its final moments.

You may be familiar with the central premise after watching (or at least hearing about) the movie's trailer. What you won't get from that though, is the extent to which that premise is milked at various points in the movie - each time bringing laughs and at no point outstaying their welcome. That and the most apt use of background score to convey its more comic moments, Badhaai Ho holds your interest through the movie and never feels forced or stretched. Never taking itself too seriously, the movie slowly makes its way into your heart and firmly rests there.

You constantly get the feeling that post this the movie will run out of content, but surprisingly it makes enough for its 2 hour runtime to feel a breeze and also give that warm, fuzzy feeling - most movies can only hope for. To add to the joy, there are virtually no songs and while the 'badhaaiyan bibi tenu' strain plays off in the background every now and then, its just that line and there isn't a pause in proceedings.

There are moments in this movie that lift it to new levels - the wonderful bond of eternal love  between a husband and wife even after they are technically now labelled as parents, Indian family values that every kid should aspire for and also the very Indian family squabbles and chatter that I am sure most would relate to. There are other subtle moments that happen in the background or in conversations - again portraying a message but not quite spelling it out.

If the presentation is good, its starcast is what lifts the movie further. Its real leads are not Ayushmann Khurana and Sanya Malhotra but rather the older pair of Gajraj Rao and Neena Gupta. In fact, the movie's best moments are the (often subtle) exchanges between these two. So much so, that when the movie focuses on the younger love story it seems forced and even out-of-place. Neena Gupta in particular is in vintage touch as she perfectly pulls of a restrained yet impactful performance. She owns every scene she is in and is a delight to watch. Equally restrained, yet no less endearing is Gajraj Rao with his quiet mannerisms. Ayushmann too is going only from strength to strength and puts in another convincing performance with Badhai ho - not trying to steal the show but playing the perfect foil to the older couple. A surprise package is Surekha Sikri as the Dadi of the household, who has many more lines than you would typically expect and is explosive, playing the typical grumbling elder in the house, who is blunt to the hilt.

When I saw its trailers, Badhaai Ho was not a movie that I was all that enthusiastic about. It seemed too wound around its central premise and it seemed like all its funny moments were captured in the trailer itself. As it stands though, Badhaai Ho is a sweet bundle of joy that I am more than happy to announce the arrival of. Go catch its delivery in the theaters.

Movie Review: Andhadhun...a whole array of notes

Ever since I learnt of the movie's title being a play on its chief protagonist - a blind pianist, Andhadhun was on my hit-list of movies to watch out for. Add to it the fact that this one was directed by Sriram Raghavan, a director who excels in making things racy and pacy, it promised to be a lot of fun. For its first half, Andhadhun is actually a masterclass in film making, rarely striking a false note. Its the second half that has some jarring tones that take it from quirky to bloody dark yet manages to redeem itself by the end. All in all, Andhadhun is unlike anything you are likely to witness in a movie hall.

Its best to go 'blind' if you don't know anything about this movie yet. Saying anything gives something away so I'll be extra cautious here. The first half is pure bliss. A brief introduction to its characters gives way to seemingly slow proceedings but you can't help but feel something is about to give. There's a startling revelation early in the game, making you wonder what more the movie could have in store. However, there's plenty of thrills to be had. The setup and proceedings in the movie will have you glued with breathless anticipation, not quite sure what to expect next. Joyfully that's the entire first half. Within that you get the trademark Sriram Raghavan nod to old hindi cinema as well as to Beethoven. So much happens in the first half that you wonder if there's enough for the second act. There are moments here and there that would simply get lost if you aren't paying attention. The movie doesn't rely on blaring background score to make its impact - an offbeat piano note does that just fine. 

While the second half also has enough packed into it, the direction it takes, brings it down relatively, especially with the high standards the initial setup creates. There's still that sense of anticipation, of taking unexpected turns in a zig zag journey but the melody feels off. The piano doesn't play as much, the notes don't always feel right and while it gets much darker in tone, it moves farther away from the stuff that made the first half so perfect. Its the final flourish that ends the movie on a high note and you emerge from the hall still quite satisfied.

There are a handful of songs and for a movie with such beautiful piano melodies, they are a complete letdown. In terms of the act, Ayushmann Khurrana pretty much gets a dream role and he pulls it off really well - probably one of his best performances so far. Its only in the few scenes of high strung drama that his dialogue delivery suffers a bit. Tabu is in fine form and while she starts off subtle and barely visible, she makes the movie her own especially as her delectably complex character gets revealed. Radhika Apte does okay in her relatively smaller role.

However, this is totally a director's movie. All the actors are mere puppets, brought in and out to tell an engaging story. Despite the unexpectedly dark turns it takes and its less savoury second half, Andhadhun is a fine melody, that expresses itself well across the octave and gives us a memorable watch.