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

It turned out to be pleasant surprize form Vicky Donor. While I waited for one week for the reviews before confirming if the movie is watchable, the movie stood tall in all aspects. Anu Kapoor is back with a bang with some impressive performances by Ayushman and Yami. The movie provided the right perspective to look at sperm donation and its importance. Though the conservatives with frown at such issues, even from the entertainment point of view, the movie provides everything that audience expects from a movie. The punches are spot on in terms of timing as well as dialogs. While a majority of the dialogs are in Punjabi (which might repel certain set of audiences), it just improves the originality of the plot. Music has been another highlight of the movie with the song "Paani Da Rang" being the masterpiece. Overall, a good 2-3 times watch.

Blood Donation is an old theme nowadays. Why not sperm? Fertilization has been shown previously in movies like I AM, The Tree Of Life and more. But Vicky Donor bring an aspect of Comedy involving fertilization in the movie. That's a different and peculiar attempt introduced in Bollywood movie. A fresh theme with fresh stars featured in a feature film - Vicky Donor.

John Abraham, The new boy in Producer Town does an earnest effort here and deals with a fresh theme based on a totally out-of-the-box concept. John after acting on 'masala maardhaar' movies now starts investing money on offbeat movies - that's strange but is smart also as the promos of Vicky Donor has a youth appeal also keeping beside the sperm oriented theme. Some in the town thinks Vicky Donor is somehow sex-oriented and disgusting in theme as it deals with such vulgar things like sperm donation and fertilization. Anyhow still Vicky Donor makes its individual impact in Bollywood and its pretty good.

In an environment where the job pressures are high and couples lead an erratic and unhealthy lifestyle, Dr. Baldev Chaddha (Annu Kapoor), a well-qualified fertility expert, runs a fertility clinic and a sperm bank in Daryaganj, New Delhi. Unfortunately, he has more failed cases to his credit than successes. A healthy, high-performing donor is the need of the hour.

Vicky Arora (Ayushymann Khurrana), a young, good looking Punjabi guy from Lajpat Nagar, is the only son and of no financial support to his mother Dolly (Dolly Ahluwalia), 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, Dr. 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.

Vicky Donor is a special mixture of Youth, Romance, Sperm Donation type offbeat concept and Comedy. So, compilation like this is hard to find in recent movies and there's where VD wins the race for its individuality. Even being a small budget film, VD gives you the feel of the same amount of humor, romance and consciousness about the concept used in a big budget film. It enlightens, then entertains and then wins.

Shoojit Sircar, after giving such a serious movie like YAHAAN (2005), it was very unlike to see a comic movie from him after 7 years. Anyway he deals very well with Vicky Donor and gives justice to the concept. Story, Dialogue and Script by Juhi Chaturvedi was very neat, sophisticated and came to a very good conclusion as the two parts of the movie was capably balance. Cinematography was not such a big deal for the movie but still good work done by Kamaljeet Negi. Editing by Shekhar Prajapati was good. The soundtrack of the movie is mediocre but still tracks like PANI DA RANG (sung, written and composed by the lead actor of the movie Ayushmann Khurrana), MAR JAIYAAN & RUM WHISKY work perfectly. These three songs are worth listen for many times. Background scores also by the music director duo Abhishek-Akshay duo are perfect for the movie.

Shoojit Sircar, I must say has chosen the actors for the movie very aptly. The very famous face from the Television Ayushmann Khurrana is good-looking, humorous and a very good performer. The naturalism in his expression and act was fascinating and profound. Another fresh face from Television Yami Gautam was strikingly beautiful, sensible and a good performer. Her presence and charm in various sequences adds value to them. Annu Kapoor aka Dr. Chadda is an anomaly. His humorous acts, sensitive acting adds the movie a new aspect.

Dolly Ahluwalia (Vicky's Mom) was very well as well as Kamlesh Gill (Vicky's grand-mom). Jayanta Das (Ashima's father) was fine. John Abraham makes a stunning impact on viewers by appearing in the song "RUM & WHISKY".

Finally, Vicky Donor is just like sperms, tiny but very effective and gives birth to a new idea in entertainment. With genuineness in script and rigorous performances by leading actors, Vicky Donor is successful in making a strong ascendancy in small budget films. Try not to miss this one.

To people who would like to believe that this movie is vulgar, I would suggest, go along with your kids! It's a refreshing surprise from director Sircar, and is 2 hours 15 minutes of pure fun. Anu Kapoor stands out for his once in a lifetime portrayal of an infertility specialist. His props, clinic and the hand gesture (just loved it) are just amazing! I am forced to wonder why is he not more visible on screen! Ayushman is a complete natural as a punjabi boy. Not for one moment would you even feel this is his debut in bollywood. Yami Gautam is gorgeous and appears very soothing to the eye. The modern grandmother and mum have been excellently portrayed by the respective actors. This is perhaps first time in bollywood that you have a saas-bahu and daaru scene! Two characters that really stand out throughout the movie are undoubtedly Dr Chaddhha and the grandmother! A must watch for everyone

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