Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan deconstructed

Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan comes from the stable of socially relevant comic capers which Ayushmann Khurrana has made his own. Apart from the fantastic Andhadhun, all his recent films have either been about a socially relevant subject or about something which is uncomfortable to discuss otherwise. With elements of humor rolled into the script, Ayushmann generally delivers effortlessly. Except, it doesn’t work to that effect in Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan.

The film starts on point. The script wastes no time trying to build up a relation-romantic or otherwise; between two men/two women (men in this case). The revelation has already happened. The couple is already going places. Happy and Hearty. Gay and gay. All at once. The relation is served to the viewer on a platter. As cheesy and romantic as it could get. Only, there is no woman. Just men. Ayushmann as the loud and carefree Kartik Singh. And Jitendra Kumar as the shy and careful Aman Tripathi. Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan is the virtuous love story of Kartik and Aman.

The film is set in Allahabad and the adjoining north (Another signature Ayushmann move) and the screenplay revolves around a marriage. Maanvi plays Goggle, Aman’s disjoint cousin who is all set to FINALLY get married. Gajraj Rao and Neena Gupta play Aman’s parents (a la Badhaai ho) to great effect. However, it feels very jaded and purposeful. The charm which was so spontaneous in Badhaai Ho is definitely missing. It’s all happening in the family. Shankar Tripathi’s (Gajraj Rao) fascination for a hybrid variety of cauliflower and the wife’s hopeless support. The uncomfortable position of the younger Tripathi brother (Manu Rishi Chadha; brilliant) and the general storm an Indian middle-class family stirs up.

The bulk of the screenplay includes how the family learns about the purported same sex affair and how the two boys convince the family with all their theatrics. Frankly, the former is more fun. The makers and the writer-director (Hitesh Kewalya) have tried very hard to make it comic and light hearted but it falls flat. It comes across as preachy and cliché with Ayushmann feeling weary and extremely repetitive. He comes across as trying too hard to do his thing and make it all work but it doesn’t work this time around. The screenplay is weaved craftily to keep the viewer engrossed till the interval. The second half loses steam and is outright boring. There is endless melodrama and only a few fun moments.

The film delivers now and then with interesting dialogues with Manu Rishi Chadha and Gajraj Rao doing an excellent job. I wish we could see more of Manu Rishi in such roles. He is at ease playing junior Tripathi. Apart from a few genuinely funny moments, the film is a drag. It doesn’t offer anything new apart from the same sex marriage perspective which is more preachy, less fun.

The dynamics of a small-town-middle-class family and the social chaos emanating from Kartik and Aman’s relation is more interesting than the relation itself. However, the performances are earnest and the ensemble works well as most of the actors come from an acting background in theatre. Interesting characters and Gajraj Rao-Manu Rishi’s camaraderie make for an interesting watch. The film ends on a very amateurish note what with the police barging in to arrest the anti-social elements. Then the Supreme court delivers a LANDMARK judgement the night after and something is spoken about section 377 and everybody lives happily ever after. With him or her.