Writer Ishita Moitra, director Shashank Khaitan’s so-called old-school romcom pretends to question few traditional norms but never really walks the talk. The slump shows no sign of ending for Varun Dhawan and Janhvi Kapoor, while Rohit Saraf and Sanya Malhotra are unfairly dragged down with it.

Rating: (1.5 / 5 )

By Mayur Lookhar

Saiyaara, Aankhon Ki Gustaakhiyan, Param Sundari – the past few months have made it clear that a struggling Bollywood is returning to its roots: love stories and family entertainers. And if there was any doubt, a title like Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari is affirmation enough. Also, no prizes for guessing – this one comes from Shashank Khaitan. With a title so steeped in ‘sanskari’ vibes, you’d almost expect Alok Nath to stroll in as Babuji. Ironically though, the veteran actor’s sanskari image lies in tatters after he was among the prominent names called out in the #MeToo movement. Forget Nath, you’d hope a Dharma Productions film sticks to the sanskars (traditions).

Impossible to imagine in real life, but gate-crashing your beloved’s wedding and whisking away the dulhania was a staple of Bollywood romcoms in the ’80s and ’90s. Yes, bizarre as it seems, it was classic escapism. Most of us, including your reviewer, loved it back then, and there’s no harm in revisiting these tropes today.

Story

Writer-director Shashank Khaitan, along with co-writer Ishita Moitra, bring not one but two uninvited guests at a grand royal wedding in Rajasthan. Though Ananya (Sanya Malhotra) had turned down his marriage proposal, Sunny Sanskari (Varun Dhawan) remains confident he can gate-crash her wedding and win her over. Also nursing the same dream is Tulsi Kumari (Janhvi Kapoor), whose ex-flame Vikram Singh (Rohit Saraf) is set to marry Ananya. Determined to disrupt the Vikram–Ananya wedding, Tulsi and Sunny join forces, only to start having mixed feelings along the way.

Screenplay & Direction

Two jilted lovers scheming to crash their exes’ weddings sounds like a winning pitch. With Shashank Khaitan directing, Karan Johar probably didn’t need much convincing. But Khaitan has been off-colour for too long, and Ishita Moitra didn’t impress even with the overrated Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahaani. All their flaws come glaringly to light in Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari, weighed down by insipid writing and limp direction. The screenplay never moves beyond the logline, with Khaitan absent in spirit and Moitra adding yet another cringe-worthy entry to her list, Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahaani, Bad Newz, Nadaaniyan.

Beyond its ‘pyaar ke liye ladna’ (fight for love) narrative, the Dharma film does attempt to question certain norms often passed off as tradition. This messaging is reflected in the patriarchy–matriarchy dynamics of Vikram and Ananya’s respective households, where a ‘mumma knows best’ attitude is imposed on the second generation.

It takes an outsider like Sunny to call it out. He mocks Vikram’s elder brother Param (Akshay Oberoi) for suppressing his wife Rakhi’s (Manini Chaddha) career ambitions. Ironically, the same man has no qualms – in fact, he laughs – at the prospect of his true love potentially losing her job.  What’s shocking is Sunny Sanskari telling Tulsi Kumari about the wedding-hijack plan bizarrely, in front of school students. And then the climactic lip-lock at school, despite being slammed by senior teachers, also happens right in front of the students. One also wonders whether gate-crashing and breaking weddings is appropriate in a film where the hero is called Sunny Sanskari. The Shashank Khaitan film preaches sanskar, but barely practices it.

Performances

Varun Dhawan reuniting with Shashank Khaitan feels like a move born out of sheer desperation. The duo was slated to collaborate on another comedy, Mr. Lele, which never took off after its announcement. Khaitan, Dhawan, and Dharma Productions perhaps hoped past successes would end their creative rut. The weak script is chiefly to blame, but Dhawan brings little intensity to the role. Now 38, his bulked-up frame doesn’t exactly make him a natural fit for these Loverboy roles.

Janhvi Kapoor, too, never rises beyond mere screen presence. Watching a simple, introverted girl transform overnight into a confident, sexy version of herself is baffling, to say the least. And while the film is titled Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari, it doesn’t excuse the protagonists constantly addressing each other by their full names. Add cringe-worthy dialogues to the mix, and these scenes become downright excruciating.

Insiders playing outsiders, and vice versa, happens often. Their privilege makes it hard to accept Dhawan and Kapoor as these rooted characters. Similarly, Rohit Saraf feels perhaps too humble to step into the shoes of a royal. Sanya Malhotra, arguably the best talent in the cast, is stuck playing second fiddle. The gatecrashing narrative leans on a simple plan fueled by envy. Perhaps for the first time, we witness a silent one-upmanship battle over cleavage, leaving the lusty audience to pick between Sanya and Janhvi.

Maniesh Paul is the sole saving grace, genuinely amusing as the wedding planner Kuku. Basically, the only good writing in the film is in his scenes.

Music & Technical Aspects

It’s rare for a Dharma film to have no memorable songs, and Bijuria’s remake is no exception. That said, Dhawan and Saraf do shine with their dance moves in the ‘Ishq Manzoor’ track.

The royal palaces-cum-hotels of Rajasthan are further beautified by Kshamata Sachin Gurav and Swapnil Suraikar’s fabulous production design, and captured exquisitely through the lens of Manush Nandan. A couple of scenes by the lake at dawn, and one particular scene shot in the evening with minimal light against the palace walls, are truly captivating.

Final Word

Unfortunately, without a strong story or taut screenplay, these visuals end up feeling like just another Rajasthan tourism ad film, and a paid holiday for the cast and crew. The ones left scarred, rather ‘sanskar-red,’ are Dharma and Karan Johar. While we welcome another old-school romcom, the disappointing storytelling and lackluster performances leave the audience with nothing more than a sense of begani shaadi mein Abdullah deewana.

Video review to follow.