Badhaai Ho - Movie Review

How often have you watched a movie about a middle class family living in a cramped flat and wanted to move in with them, if not forever then at least for your summer holidays?

I can’t recall any except, perhaps, the house of Dolly and Biji in Vicky Donor.

But now Badhaai Ho, by director Amit Ravindernath Sharma along with three writers — Shantanu Srivastava, Akshat Ghildial, Jyoti Kapoor — gives us the “Kaushiks”, a family of five that is so real and warm that I hope they keep coming back every year.

The film’s story, born out of every child’s loudly announced disgust and discomfort at even the stray thought of mummy-daddy doing the dirty thing, i.e. SEX, is both believable and very funny.

The film’s giggles are pivoted on an icky situation — a middle-aged couple, with grown sons, one of whom is working, announces that they are expecting their third child — and the incredibly stupid, but entirely understandable reaction of all those around them. Badhaai Ho makes us laugh at the discomfiture of the couple, the bristling but pointless frustration of their kids and others, while making us root for the freedom of couples to make their own choices, and keeping the Kaushiks together.

This connect with the Kaushiks is partly because of the writing, but mostly because the film is blessed, really, by a cast that looks lived in — as if director Sharma just moved his camera crew to the house of Kaushiks and handed over each member their lines.

Luckily, just as the film is invested in these characters and their stories, all the actors, but especially Neena Gupta, Gajraj Rao, Ayushmann Khurrana and Surekha Sekri, inhabit their characters with instinctive compassion and understanding, giving each one humanity and a soul.

Badhaai Ho is a warm, twinkling gem set in a colony of low income group flats that are stacked together tightly to face, in unison, a narrow lane and a strip of green.

Jeetendra, or Jeetu (Gajraj Rao), who is a TT with Bharatiya Rail, is married to Priyamvada, or Babli (Neena Gupta). They have two sons — Nakul (Ayushmann Khurrana), who works at an IT firm, along with his girlfriend Renee (Sanya Malhotra), and Gullar (Shardul Rana), who is in senior secondary school.

On the divan in their living room rests Dadi (Surekha Sekri). She’s aged but hasn’t lost her mother-in-law sting despite faulty hearing.

Their house, where there isn’t enough space to give even one door the space to swing open — all are split into two — we see how all of them take care of each other, bond, irritate, assist and also negotiate some moments of solitude.

One night Jeetu, who writes poetry under the penname “Vyakul” (Uneasy) and waits for them to be printed, sits with Babli on their double-bed, and reads out his latest.

But that night it rains and well, boing!

“Badhaai ho!” screams the old Dr Bagga, smiling appreciatively at Jeetu, while his doctor wife casts a sharply disapproving eye on him.

Here on Badhaai Ho is the story of a couple who steal brief moments of intimacy for themselves, and to power their household. Jeetu, in his quietly affectionate manner, protects Babli from his mother’s barbs, while Babli, despite tears rolling down her cheeks every time her maika is dissed, takes care of Dadi as her own.

In between Badhaai Ho takes flight to the very elegant and sprawling house of Renee to meet her mother (Sheeba Chaddha). Here everything screams out “I’m classy” and the film holds its breath here, as if its exhalation would offend the posh.

As the story unfolds, Badhaai Ho’s focus is not on the conflict, but on how families reconcile with differences, adjust around and accept each other’s decisions, personalities, opinions and tantrums. It’s about how strong and nourishing the bonds are in those small homes are where Daddyjis stand by and love Mummyjis.

Badhaai Ho is written and directed with self-assurance and confidence. It doesn’t feel the need to pause to sell us even its funniest moments. Just like in any routine family interaction, these are asides that sparkle and then pass.

All characters are well etched out, except those of Sheeba Chaddha and Sanya Malhotra. These are built with filmy clichés, and though both of them are good, there wasn’t much room for them to play. They deserved better.

But I can’t say enough how excellent Neena Gupta, Gajraj Rao, Ayushmann Khurrana and Surekha Sekri are, but I’m going to try.

Khurrana, who has come to embody a slightly-confused-but-mostly-good middle class boy, is able to keep all of his characters distinct and memorable. He barely changes his looks, and yet his Nakul here is not Prem Prakash Tiwari of Dum Laga Ke Haisha. It would not be wrong if I compare him Amol Palekar. Simple looks but amazing talent !

Often, actors become boring when they play the same character over and over. That’s mostly because they use mannerisms to build that character, essay those roles. Khurrana is one of those rare actors who uses subtle changes in his body language and diction to keep it all fresh, distinct.

I have been a fan of Neena Gupta since she was a secretary in Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro. And my love for her grew with every character she played, from the TV series Khandaan and Saans to Shyam Benegal’s Mandi.

Neena Gupta has a screen presence much like Smita Patil’s — they don’t just create a character on the outside, but invest it with an inner cosmos that communicates with the audience, making them compelling and attractive.

It’s a shame really that Bollywood can’t come up with roles that match her caliber and brilliance. I hope Badhaai Ho changes that.

Whoever cast Gajraj Rao in the role of Jeetu deserves a special treat. It’s an intelligent, inspired choice, and he plays it with such cute kindness and care that I wanted to hug him.

His Jeetu, who sometimes brings home aam ki pettis and talks to his son’s girlfriend in English, is the kind of man whose humanity is deeply touching and unforgettable.

Surekha Sekri is and has always been a powerhouse who can own a scene while doing very little. Here too she gives the movie an end that will make you bawl.

Watching all of them together felt like I had walked into an acting master class.

Badhaai Ho is written and directed with self-assurance and confidence. It doesn’t feel the need to pause to sell us even its funniest moments.

I tip my hat to them.

My Rating - 4/5 

Andhadhun - Movie Review

In 2016, Priyadarshan made a Malayalam film about a blind man (played by Mohanlal) who becomes an unwitting 'eyewitness' to a murder. The hero's visual disability in Oppam was accompanied by a heightened sense of hearing and smell that made him a potential threat to the killer.

Now what happens if a killer's self-preservation instinct causes them to not care that the 'witness' is sightless? That question was the starting point of an intriguing French 13-minuter titled L'accordeur (The Piano Tuner) from 2010, directed by Oliver Treiner.

Writer-director Sriram Raghavan draws on an atom of just a single element from the French short (which is acknowledged here in the credits), turning it into a full-length Hindi feature that should rank among the most fascinating, fun, funny suspense thrillers ever to emerge from Bollywood. If you are determined to find out what that one element is, you could watch L'accordeur on the internet. You could, but why would you? Because even discovering that secret in the opening half hour of Raghavan's Andhadhun (The Blind Melody) is a pleasurable experience.

Here is what little can be revealed of the plot. Ayushmann Khurrana plays Andhadhun's Akash, a pianist in Pune who is introduced to us as a blind musician trying desperately to complete a tune. Akash is frustrated with the stereotypical expectation that a disability sharpens the creative mind, since he just cannot find the inspiration to wrap up that damned melody. His new friend Sophie (Radhika Apte) is unmoved by his struggle: incompleteness, she tells him, is what gives certain things their finish.

In the posher quarters of the metropolis live the glamorous Simi (Tabu) and her wealthy, much older husband, the forgotten Hindi film star Pramod Sinha (Anil Dhawan). Pramod a.k.a. Pammi is stuck in a time warp in which he keeps rewatching his hits, causing considerable irritation to Simi. Her ambition is a career in films and she wants Pammi to use his network to help her.

From these unconnected strands is born a black comedy that is breathless in its pace and breathtaking in the scope of its imagination, linking seemingly random occurrences in the cosmos, and with all its entertainment value, arriving at an unexpectedly thoughtful study of both kismet and human nature. People tend to let their guard down with those who cannot see or hear and with children, fear also often causes us to appear guilty of more than what we have done, and the writers play around gleefully with these truths.

The premise is completely wacko, a what-if to beat all what-ifs. It is also familiar terrain for Raghavan whose films Ek Hasina Thi, Johnny Gaddaar and Badlapur are a testament to his fixation on evil crackpots and cold-hearted criminality. The story by Hemanth Rao and Raghavan himself has been expanded into a multi-layered screenplay by the latter with Arijit Biswas, Pooja Ladha Surti (also the film's editor) and Yogesh Chandekar. At one level, the result of their collaboration is a hugely enjoyable, fast-paced thriller, but at another it is a quietly observant tale reminding us that however convinced we may be that we have outsmarted fate, the universe is always the boss of our lives.

It takes a bunch of nutty, unfettered actors to put their faith in this nutty, impertinent script. As it happens, the cast and writing of Andhadhun are made for each other.

Very often, a character's disability becomes a crutch that actors lean on, letting that aspect of the part overshadow their entire performance. Khurrana is not that kind of artiste. While he does not stumble even once in playing blind, he is just as effective in conveying Akash's amorality, affections, aspirations and fears.

In a smaller role, Apte exemplifies guilelessness and innocence that are a refreshing contrast to the machinations all around her. The supporting cast is impeccable, never once faltering when the story line takes them to places that lesser actors could have reduced to a farce. Kabir Sajid — the darling little boy from Secret Superstar — beautifully, albeit briefly, plays a child in Andhadhun who epitomizes the moral ambivalence of most characters in the story.

The queen of all she surveys in this film though is the tremendously gifted Tabu, whose chameleonesque talent is put to great use here as she plays a woman with many faces, a creature with a steely grit, capable of vileness, yet in possession of very human vulnerabilities, still yet capable of discussing the foulest of her actions with such casualness that it is impossible not to laugh. The manner in which Simi/Tabu switches from one emotion to the next to the next, at one point her face and voice conveying completely different feelings, is a sight to behold.

Terrible things happen in this film, yet it manages to tread lightly throughout. This overall effect and the build-up of suspense are a consequence of the smooth interplay between Raghavan's purposefulness, KU Mohanan's clever camerawork (what he hides being as important as what he chooses to show), and the intricate sound design by Madhu Apsara. The weave is tied in by Amit Trivedi's well-conceptualized soundtrack, the thoughtful mix of original songs and re-runs of classics, and Daniel B George's background score.

Few musical instruments can match the piano in its ability to build up an atmosphere of intrigue. Soulful, robust and sharp, it is a constant companion to the twists and turns in this madcap movie.

The music, like the film in its entirety, is a tribute to 1970s Hindi cinema, the point driven home all the more sharply by the decision to cast Anil Dhawan as Pammi. Dhawan shone fleetingly on the big screen in real life in that very decade. Snatches of scenes from his actual films are played in Andhadhun, lending an air of poignance to his character's journey and nostalgia to the film as a whole.

If you plan to watch Andhadhun, make sure you arrive early so that you do not miss the prologue or the old-fashioned credits, along with the bizarre statement accompanying them on screen, plus the tribute to Vividh Bharti's Chhaya Geet and Doordarshan's Chitrahaar. It all counts, as does every minute, second and millisecond of the unpredictable, crazy ride that follows.

My Rating : 4 / 5 

Raazi - Movie Review

Cast: Alia Bhatt, Vicky Kaushal, Jaideep Ahlawat, Rajit Kapur, Shishir Sharma, Soni Razdan, Amruta Khanvilkar, Arif Zakaria, Ashwath Bhatt, Aman Vashisht

Cameos By: Kanwaljeet Singh and Sanjay Suri

Director: Meghna Gulzar

An elderly Kashmiri gentleman called Hidayat (Rajit Kapur) travels back and forth between India and Pakistan under the pretext of business dealings, when actually he is serving as a double agent between both countries. His friend in Pakistan, Brigadier Syed (Shishir Sharma), is convinced that Hidayat is spying on India for Pakistan. The truth is the exact opposite: Hidayat is a loyal lieutenant of India’s Intelligence services and, as it happens, the son of a freedom fighter.

As his life nears its end, he wants to ensure that his mission is not disrupted at this delicate juncture – the year is 1971, when India-Pakistan tensions are running high in the midst of the liberation war in East Pakistan, now Bangladesh. It dawns on Hidayat that continuity can come if his daughter Sehmat (Alia Bhatt) marries the Brigadier’s son. The catch is that she is a mere teenager – a college student in Delhi University – and untrained, and there is no telling whether she will go along with her father’s plan. She does. In short, she is Raazi (willing). And soon enough she is the bride of Major Iqbal Syed and a resident of the Syed family home in Pakistan through which passes crucial national security documents and senior members of the country’s defence forces.

Given the circumstances, you know your heart is at risk, even if Sehmat’s is made of stone, when it turns out that Iqbal is played by Vicky Kaushal. Unless his character is decidedly villainous, this is an actor who has the ability to reach into your rib cage, rip your heart out and tear it to shreds.

Watch Raazi to find out if that is indeed the effect Iqbal has on the viewer, but I can tell you already that that is precisely what the film as a whole achieves. Meghna Gulzar’s latest directorial venture, based on Harinder S Sikka’s novel Calling Sehmat, is a heart-stopping, heart-breaking espionage drama the beauty of which lies in the fact that, in the era of chest-thumping nationalism and hate-mongering that we live in, this India-Pakistan saga holds out an unexpected healing touch.

“In a war, nothing else matters but the war. Not you, not I, just the war,” a significant character in Raazi tells Sehmat. Although this is the premise on which the establishment operates on both sides of the border, the film’s overriding theme is the human cost of war. And so it compels us to ask uncomfortable questions. Are undercover agents callous or dutiful? Does a father have a right to sacrifice his daughter’s future at the altar of a nation’s safety and survival? And above all else: If there is pain on both sides of the divide, then who is benefiting from this confrontation and why, in the name of all that is logical, are we fighting?

This is the kind of story that conventional Bollywood would drench in bombast, condescending clichés about the ‘good Muslim’ and “aisa nahin ki unke sab log bure hai” (it is not as if all ‘their’ people are bad) sort of dialogues. If you have seen Meghna Gulzar’s Talvar (2015), you know of course that she is anything but conventional.

Raazi’s screenplay by Bhavani Iyer and Ms Gulzar, with dialogues by the latter, is a political tightrope walk that never lets up. Sure there is a line about the watan/mulq (country) being above all else repeated by more than one actor, but it is woven so smoothly into the larger picture and delivered so naturally by the actors in question, that it serves its purpose without trumpets blowing or bugles calling. Even a line from Hidayat about how Sehmat is a Hindustani first and then his daughter passes muster, although it is the closest the film comes to bowing to Bollywood traditions in these matters.

So yes of course, there is a – necessary – point being made about the patriotism of a Muslim Indian citizen from insurgency-ridden Jammu & Kashmir, but by not spelling it out or emphasizing her Kashmiri Muslim identity, Team Raazi delivers the gentlest of slaps in the face of Islamophobes and advocates of hatred who dominate the current national political discourse.

Raazi says so much else without feeling the need to say it. Its feminism, for one, goes beyond the obvious fact that it is a woman-centric film. In the emotionally wrenching number 'Dilbaro', with music by Shankar Ehsaan Loy and lyrics by the legendary Gulzar, a daughter sings, “Fasle jo kati jaaye, ugti nahin hai / betiyaan jo byaahi jaaye, mudti nahin hai (when a daughter is married off she does not look back) / Aisi bidaai ho toh / Lambi judaai ho toh / Dehleez dard ki bhi paar kara de.” Note the irony of those words, coming as they do during the wedding of a girl who, far from conforming to the social norm of turning her back on the house she leaves for marriage, proves to be one of her home country’s most invaluable assets.

As much as it is a poignant story of human relations, Raazi is a suspense thriller so tautly executed that I could feel knots of fear in my chest for several hours after I had stepped out of the hall. The unrelenting parade of risks and twists owes as much to Meghna’s conviction as to Nitin Baid’s brisk editing, Kunal Sharma’s intelligently crafted sound design and the nerve-wracking background score by Shankar Ehsaan Loy and Tubby.

A further boatload of kudos to the music directors for imbuing a Pakistani patriotic anthem with emotional resonance for Indian viewers. 'Ae Watan' – written by Gulzar and incorporating lines from Allama Iqbal’s 'Lab Pe Aati Hai Dua (not mentioned in the credits, but in the Making of 'Ae Watan' video) – is beautifully sung by Sunidhi Chauhan and the Shankar Mahadevan Academy children’s chorus. It marks a turning point in Sehmat’s effort to win over the people in her new life.

Jay Patel’s camerawork is intrinsic to the nervous edge that is a constant in the narrative. He seems to shadow Sehmat rather than shoot Bhatt, and is particularly responsible for underlining heightened stress levels in a scene involving a chase down a lonely street.

The hub of this enterprise is Bhatt’s stupendous performance as Sehmat, with the young star once again displaying the maturity and confidence of a veteran on camera. She is as convincing wielding a gun as she is crying her heart out at the betrayal that is unavoidable in the task she has taken on. By mining his innocent persona, the astonishingly versatile Kaushal becomes a perfect match for the baby doll looks that Bhatt uses to carefully camouflage her character’s iron will. In his Iqbal Syed there is not a trace of the serial killer he became for Anurag Kashyap’s Raman Raghav 2.0 in 2016

The supporting cast is a roll call of strong artists. As Sehmat’s trainer, Jaideep Ahlawat of Gangs of Wasseypur (2012) gets a role worthy of his talent after a gap. Ashwath Bhatt as Sehmat’s brother-in-law is remarkable in a smaller part.

The information Sehmat conveys to her bosses in India is related to Pakistan’s planned attack on the Indian naval vessel INS Vikrant during the 1971 war, which was the subject of the 2017 Tollywood film Ghazi (Telugu), also made in Hindi as The Ghazi Attack. That film was primarily a defence forces procedural. Raazi, on the other hand, is an espionage venture with heart and soul tempering its gritty core. Even as it kept me on the edge of my seat for its entire 140 minutes, it broke my heart. Bravo Alia Bhatt !

My Rating: 4/5

Parmanu - The Story of Pokhran - Trailer Review

On the day when India has completed 20 years of the second Pokhran tests, JA Entertainment released the long-awaited trailer for the upcoming movie Parmanu: The Story of Pokhran.

It is clear from the name what the movie is about. Based around the events and people behind making India a nuclear nation, Parmanu: The Story of Pokhran tells the story of how India decided to become a nuclear state.

The trailer starts with statistics of how many nuclear tests have been performed by the United States of America and China. The trailer also mentions Pakistan and the nuclear assistance the neighbouring country got from China.

Boman Irani’s voice announces that whoever takes up ‘this’ job will not get any rewards, medals or even designations. We then meet John Abraham who explains why India needs to conduct these nuclear tests. He then goes undercover with a team of military offices to ensure the tests are conducted without any hurdles.

Directed by Abhishek Sharma, Parmanu: The Story of Pokhran is about a team of officers who were given the responsibility of carrying out a covert operation.

Operation Shakti, as it was called, was carried out despite international pressure on India to not go forward with the tests. While the premise of the film is based on true events, the characters are fictitious.

Parmanu: The Story of Pokhran will hit theatres along with Bhavesh Joshi Superhero on 25 May.

It stars John Abraham, Diana Penty and Boman Irani in lead roles.

Bioscopewala - Trailer Review

Kabuliwala, the iconic short story by Rabindranath Tagore, has been adapted into a feature film by director Deb Medhekar. Titled Bioscopewala, the film stars stellar actors such as Danny Denzongpa, Geetanjali Thapa, Tisca Chopra and Adil Hussain. The story of the film picks up from where Tagore had left it.

In the war-torn Kabul (Afghanistan), lives the daughter of Kabuliwala, who in the film shows films to children on his bioscope. Hence, the name change. He spends his days longing for her trying to look for a glimpse of her in Thapa's younger version. The trailer shows a grownup Thapa, whose father passes away in a plane crash.

In a dramatic turn of events, her memories of the Bioscopewala are revived and she takes it upon herself to look for him. She tries to unravel the mystery behind his daughter and her whereabouts while the war in Afghanistan rages.

The trailer is poignant and evokes the same emotion of Kabuliwala — of pain, separation and longing. Even in the two-minute-long trailer, Denzongpa is a delight to watch as he brings to life the much-loved character of Kabuliwala. The trailer captures several stages of his life and he stands out in each of them.

Presented by Fox Star Hindi in association with Star India, Bioscopewala releases in cinemas on 25 May.

AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR - MOVIE REVIEW

Cast: Josh Brolin (voice of Thanos), Robert Downey Jr., Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Benedict Cumberbatch, Tom Holland, Chadwick Boseman, Zoe Saldana, Chris Pratt, Vin Diesel (voice of Groot)

Directors: Anthony Russo and Joe Russo

From 2008 till now, we've watched and devoured 18 Marvel films. Some we loved, enjoyed and revered, some left us particularly breathless, and of course, several were forgettable.

Our superheroes like Iron Man, Captain America and our cherished Guardians of the Galaxy gang have spearheaded their independent enterprises with authority and aplomb and we've carefully kept track of their story lines.

But then along comes Avengers Infinity War, which unites most of our heroes. And at the outset, it's every die hard Marvel fan's dream, to see their idols talking to each other under one roof.

What could be better than to see Star lord and Iron Man verbally sparring?

However, this isn't just an ambitious crossover film to delight fans. It's so much more than just a reunion of all superheroes. You cannot watch Avengers Infinity War in isolation, or just watch the previous Avengers films, you need to retrace your steps all the way back to 2008, back to Iron Man.

Avengers Infinity War, directed by Anthony Russo and Joe Russo, might sound like a typical Marvel superhero film in the beginning. But as you go along, you realise that this film has a distinct place of its own in Marvel history.

Let's cut to the chase.

As we already know, the Avengers have separated, and are scattered all over the world. Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr) and Captain America (Chris Evans) aren't on the best of terms, and the once-blooming romance between Bruce Banner or Hulk (Mark Ruffalo) and Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) has been struck down.

Thor (Chris Hemsworth), as we saw in Thor Ragnarok, is trying to get his hammer back, which was destroyed by his sister Hela.

Yet, this isn't the time for ego clashes and sulking, as the epitome of villainy, the towering monster Thanos (Josh Brolin), is on a macabre mission to annihilate half the universe. He is in desperate need of all six infinity stones. Thanos has been referenced in several films before, and he finally gets to take centre stage in this film. And we get the first taste of the pure evil that Thanos is capable of, in the opening scene itself.

If Thanos gains possession of all six infinity stones, he can destroy half the universe with just a snap of his fingers.

He is a wrathful creature, and doesn't hesitate to punish but he's also one of far more depth, than any other villain that we have seen before.

Far from being a uni-dimensional villain, a common feature of many Marvel films, he's probably the most compelling one after Killmonger from the Black Panther movie.

While for the most part he demonstrates his sheer power brutality, he has to fight his own demons too while making his choices. But sadly, these choices are not just hard on him, they're a punch in the gut for the audience as well.

The locations to some of these infinity stones are no secret, Dr Strange has one, and Vision has another, which is embedded in his head. The others are scattered on different planets.

Clearly, the Russo brothers wanted each character to shine. And how did they go about this gruelling task of juggling 30 characters with their numerous, distinct storylines? They segregated the superheroes into various teams. Be it intergalactic battles, or back to Wakanda, the African Utopia where Black Panther reigns, we're taken across different parts of the universe, and you are not even left with the time to breathe.

And so, each superhero team will do whatever it takes to bring down Thanos, irrespective of the sacrifice it might cost them.

Paced over 156 minutes with restless storytelling, the film is strong on its humour game as well, a Marvel trademark. The one-liners are brilliant and crisp, and add the perfect touch of humour to dark situations. These little humorous exchanges are deliciously embedded like gems in a cake.

It is a true joy to watch Thor dealing with the Guardians or Spider-Man saving the day owing to his knowledge of pop culture.

But don't get carried away. If the Russo brothers let you laugh at one point, they break your heart in the next. And that's the brilliance of Avengers Infinity War, it blends fast-paced action, despair, humour, triumph and awe into one super package for their audience.

It ends on a shocking cliff-hanger, and the post-credits don't seem to provide answers either.

Avengers: Infinity War leaves you breathless, and wanting more. It is the God of all Marvel films !

My Rating: 4/5

Veere Di Wedding- Trailer Review

The upcoming Bollywood chick-flick Veere Di Wedding is undoubtedly a much-anticipated film of this year, and for numerous reasons. It boasts of star cast of the likes of Kareena Kapoor Khan, Sonam Kapoor, Swara Bhasker and Shikha Talsania. In addition to that, the film promises to be possibly India's first 'commercial entertainer' with all female leads.

It starts with the four leading ladies chatting with each other at a bar. The trailer then progresses to how their friendship has blossomed over the years, leading up to one of them getting hitched. Sumeet Vyas proposes to Kareena and then prepping for 'Veere Di Wedding' begins.

The trailer boasts of a rather 'colourful' language which lends this film an air of realness. However, the chic, polished vibe soon sets in, making it visually, and also thematically, similar to a chick film; though the film's cast has maintained that theirs is 'not a chick flick'.

In India, while genres like multi-starrers, films with male leads (colloquially also termed 'buddy' films) are often made in surplus (so much that it is done to death), women-led narratives are still considered niche. Probably that's why the term 'women-oriented' is so often callously used to describe films with female leads.

Director Shashanka Ghosh, whose previous film Khoobsurat (2014), starring Sonam Kapoor and Fawad Khan in the lead, struck a chord with the audience and critics alike.

While Khoobsurat was a joyride, Veere Di Wedding takes the fun quotient many notches higher. With Kareena's charm, Sonam's style, Swara's screen presence and Shikha's quirk, the film is a complete package. After all, why should boys have all the fun?

Veere Di Wedding has been written by Nidhi Mehra and Mehal Suri, and co-produced by Nikhil Dwivedi, Anil Kapoor, Rhea Kapoor and Ekta Kapoor's Balaji Motion Pictures.

The film is slated to release on 1 June.