Films like Badhaai Ho make me lament that such films didn't come out before in India. The film is so culturally rich and enlightening it's just wonderful. Like with most films of its sort off late, the film is set in a most realistic backdrop of lower-middle-class families which show the beauty of today's India. The film's story is indeed a unique cultural insight into how late pregnancy is approached by this milieu. I was all set up for a highly humorous comedy and was a little concerned that it's turn into a comedy of errors or something of the sort. Thankfully, despite all the wonderful humour he infused it with, the director Amit Ravindrenath Sharma took the film and the subject seriously enough to deal with the social stigma attached to middle-aged pregnancy and turn this film into a moving, emotional drama, with a strong social message. While I thought the second half wouldn't be as good as the first, it exceeded all my expectations to go from strength to strength. I believe non-Indians, particularly people of western societies, would not so easily understand the social context of this film, and why such a big deal would be made about it. It takes great perspective to be able to grasp the sensibilities depicted in the film, but those willing to not get too judgmental will love it.
And every viewer is likely to find it very easy to fall in love with this film. As said above, the cultural insight, the realistic setting, the positive and gracious tone of the proceedings, all make for cinematic treat. The casting is fantastic. Ayushmann Khurrana, doing his usual bit of positive social activism through cinema, is as reliable as ever, but the show belongs to the senior generations of players. Neena Gupta, a familiar character actress, gets a tremendous opportunity to lead a film with this wonderfully challenging role, and she is breathtaking in a beautifully understated performance. In the role of her husband, Gajraj Rao is excellent. Sanya Malhotra does exceedingly well. It almost goes without saying, however, that it is the legendary Surekha Sikri who gets the best lines and moments and, in turn, gives the film its winning combination of comedy and emotion. She is phenomenally real, and she is also responsible for the film's best scene, where she acknowledges her daughter-in-law's devotion in a way that is no less than stirring and emotionally overwhelming, encapsulating the core message of this story and reminding us all of the divine duty of honouring our parents and elders. Badhaai Ho has lesser moments too, but at its best, it's just brilliant entertainment.
