Vicky Donor

I don't like Bollywood cinema, it has just never appealed to me and therefore I tend to avoid such movies like anything with Tom Cruise.

I found myself watching Vicky Donor as it's supposed to be an Indian remake of the excellent French Canadian movie Starbuck (2011). I'll say right off the bat, it's not............it really really isn't and they need to stop making that claim.

A very high rated Indian movie it tells the story of a lovable loser type who reluctantly begins donating sperm. He hides it from his family and the woman he loves because for some reason it would bring great shame.

That's it, so again this is not Starbucks plot at all despite being advertised as such.

It has most of the Bollywood tropes but thankfully no sudden dance numbers, I really couldn't have sat through it if there had been. There is however a heavy soundtrack and in this guys view it damaged the film.

The soundtrack grinds, the characters certainly could have been more likeable and much of the film feels like a melodrama more than anything else.

However on the flipside some of the writing is excellent, the plot though simple is handled well and the finale really saved the movie.

Vicky Donor is not Starbuck but it has it's own identity and for a guy who hates Bollywood I can't deny that it certainly has its moments.

Vicky Donor is an enjoyable affair despite its flaws.

The Good:

Yami Gautam

Some of the script is exceptional

Great finale

The Bad:

Randomly shifting back and forth between languages mid conversation

Frustrating soundtrack

Not even remotely the Starbuck story

Jokes tend to miss their mark

Things I Learnt From This Movie:

When a movie starts with the fact it was created by the "Eros" network it makes a person pause and recheck they have the right film!

Indians talk so fast it can make subtitles a chore at times

If "God" wanted you to have a child surely you wouldn't be infertile

Shaking hands with someone after they've made a sperm donation seems like a bad call

The word "Coming" was used a suspicious amount in this film, intentional?!

Banks allow their employees to go in after hours to mope dramatically

A person who refers to everyone as sperm would likely not be on my speed dial

The chief concerns of a 25 year old? Money, a job, a girlfriend and some respect from his family. Vicky Donor injects a new age career (if you may call it) of donating sperms in to the life of a happy, cricket loving, 25 but jobless Delhi boy Vicky (Ayushmann Khurrana). After Dr. Baldev Chaddha, (Annu Kapoor) an infertility specialist overtly chases Vicky for this covert job; he begins to enjoy the perks that come along with the job. However with great perks come great pains. Great perks – money, job, girlfriend (incidental to the job) and respect from his family. Great Pains – Not being able to tell his family and girlfriend about his career. So do the perks outweigh the pains? Or life is beyond such naive comparisons? For the answers, watch the movie!

While you are at it, you will be treated to some delightful real life characters, Kamlesh Gill as Vicky's alcohol-loving, forward-thinking grandma, Dolly Ahluwalia as Vicky's alcohol-loving, loud and dutiful mother, Annu Kapoor the singularly focused Dr. Baldev Chaddha, the beautiful Ashima Roy (Yami Gautam) and her oh-so Bengali family. The banter between Kamlesh Gill and Dolly Ahluwalia, Annu Kapoor's character who sees life through the lens of sperms will keep you chuckling through the movie. You will want to cheer the celebration of differences and the eventual mingling between the Punjabis and the Bengalis, brought to the fore in the wedding sequence.

Is this Ayushmaan's debut? Wow! Doesn't seem like that! He comes across as completely natural and never seems anything besides Vicky! He is absolutely lovable as the boy next door. Annu Kapoor is scintillating. He amuses you and makes you laugh. Kamlesh Gill and Dolly Ahluwalia are uncontainable. Debutant Yami Gautam looks delectable and performs well.

Juhi Chaturvedi's very believable story has a thoroughly enjoyable screenplay where witty one-liners are the order of the day. Kamaljit Negi's cinematography is good. Shekhar Prajapati's snips ensure the movie never slows down. Abhishek-Akshay's music carries the narration forward while Rum Whiskey will be a party smasher!

Director Shoojit Sircar after a hiatus of 7 years (Yahaan 2005) deftly blends in a topical story with some endearing characters and real life sequences to dish out a delightful slice of life film! Go watch it!

Watch for: A topical story. Light hearted entertainment. Watch out for: Performances and some superlative real life banter between the characters! Don't watch if: No-no. Go watch!

Story: 7 | Screenplay: 8 | Performances: 8 | Songs and Music: 7 | Direction: 8 | Overall: 7.5/10

Some trailers makes me want to go to the theaters the first day; some trailers, I don't want to watch even the trailer completely.

With VD, I was not sure. So I went anyways. Thank God I did. From the first scene to the last, it was worth it.

A great script dealing with masturbation indirectly yet without any vulgarity in words or scenes. It will easily pass off as a 'modern' family entertainer. It is not easy to bring out the film in such a great script and kudos to the director and editors for sending out a altogether new message and getting it out from the actors.

All the actors were spot on. But a special mention to the mom and her in-law, and their on screen chemistry. The leads have also done well, but Annu kapoor is the class act. Then final scene in which he breaks- down laughing, makes him in the list of my great actors in India.

No unnecessary songs,long shots, close-ups, drama etc,. it was all just about perfect. There were some pit falls on the acting in some scenes of Anshuman and Yaani, but come'on the made up for it later.

All together a great movie, coming in the times of Kahaani, Paan Singh Tomar etc,. only shows that this might be India's turn to its greatest star ever- The Script.

Rush and watch!!!

wow...fantastic movie with the heavy n strong concept...... the movie contains about raw usage of script and more comedy with beautiful songs.... A must watch film.... Very difficult to find but some conservatives might not like the concept...

A man is brought in by an infertility doctor to supply him with his sperm, where he becomes the biggest sperm donor for his clinic. Vicky Donor is a light hearted comedy that takes a look at the taboo attached to infertility and artificial insemination.

The Story .. of course

Dr Baldev Chaddha (Annu Kapoor), a well qualified fertility expert, runs a fertility clinic and a sperm bank in Dariyaganj, New Delhi, that guarantees a high quality and specialized sperm for the purpose. Unfortunately he has more failed cases to his credit than successes. A healthy, high performing donor is the need of the hour. Vicky Arora (Ayushmann Khurrana), a young, good-looking, Punjabi boy from Lajpat Nagar, is the only son and of no financial support to Dolly, a widow, who runs a small beauty parlor from home.

As luck would have it, a small brawl in the colony brings Dr Chaddha and Vicky, face to face, where Chaddha, concludes that Vicky could be THAT donor he has been looking for. From here on, Chaddha's days and nights are spent in convincing Vicky to become a donor till he finally gives in. Vicky finds his love interest in Ashima Roy (Yami Gautam), a pretty Bengali girl, who works in a Bank. But soon their hunky dory world comes crashing down because of Vicky's past as a donor. With a brief emotional roller coaster ride, Vicky Donor is a light-hearted take on the subject of sperm donation.

What to look out for

Sparkled with exceptional performance by Annu Kapoor as Dr. Chadda and the wonderful debut by Ayushmann Khurrana as Vicky Arora.. Vicky Donor is a fertile entertainer with focus to tell an endearing love story centered round sperm donation glory..

John Abraham deserves a special pat for not following bollywood trends as a producer and opting for a out of the box subject on sperm donations for his debut as producer and not using his stardom and making way for a newcomer for a wonderful debut.. highly remarkable..

Shoojit Sircar grows immensely as a story teller and shows vast improvement from Yahan (2005) to Vicky Donor. With the all round support of his writer Juhi Chaturvedi he captures the mood of Delhi in light, funny and tangy first half then giving us those genuinely stirring moments rather late in the game and ending up with a sweet note.

All this wouldn't have been possible without the active support of Yami Gautam who makes a beautiful debut.. Watching her is treat to your eye and the girl delivers a sparkling performance.

Dolly Ahluwalia is excellent as mom and Kamlesh Gill as the grand ma is outstanding.. Whenever she appears on screen she eats up other actor's presence. Jayanta Das as Yami's father is adequate.

Music and dialogues are in sync with the film. Pani da song is the pick of the lot.. editing is sharp and other technicalities are fine. Production values are up to mark

What Not

Very difficult to find but some conservatives might not like the concept

Conclusion: Vicky Donor is avant grade cinema that is fertile at the Box Office. Those who complain Bollywood for running out of ideas.. 'Vicky Donor donates sperms of hope.. a must watch..

Very Recently I had an argument with a friend when i asked him that out of the two movies released this Friday which would be given preference bu him. He said and I'd quote that "(It's a)disgrace that people can actually watch this".

No offence but Vicky Donor would be like a slap on the face for such people. It is fresh, entertaining and thoroughly enjoyable.

Starring Ayushmann Khurrana as the Punjabi munda Vicky who doesn't have a job of his own and is constantly nagged by his mother played by Dolly Alluwalia. His grandma, on the other hand as Vicky himself says pretty modern and very supportive. All's not well for him until Dr.Baldev Chadda played by Annu Kapoor finds out that Vicky can be an excellent sperm donor. Midway he falls in love with Ashima Roy(Yami Gautam) and the story carries on further.

The interesting part about Vicky Donor is that although the film preaches the topic of sperm donation at no point does the film uses vulgarity or cheap humour to carry it along.

The music is very catchy at the least and songs like 'Paani da' and 'Rum whisky' really help to keep up the tempo of the movie.

The screenplay by Juhi Chaturvedi is apt and even the 2 hr 15 min doesn't seem too long.

Yes the dialogues are a bit repetitive, the story a bit sluggish in parts but the good acting performances by the entire cast hide the negatives more or less. Annu Kapoor, Dolly and her mother-in-law impress in particular. Ayushmann has very good screen presence and Yami looks superb.

It's a definite thumbs up from my side for Shoojit Sircar's Vicky Donor. You should not give this a miss if possible.

3/5