Shaadi Ke Side Effects

'Shaadi Ke Side Effects' has its share of glorious moments & spirited performances working for it, but an erratic screenplay plays a spoilsport.

'Shaadi Ke Side Effects' Synopsis: A complicated relationship develops between a man & woman after they get married & have a baby.

'Shaadi Ke Side Effects', at first, seems pro anti-marriage. But, later comes on to its favor. Its an erratic film, that chooses different sides in phases. A consistent mood & pace, is also missing!

However, a few light moments cannot be forgotten. The humor in the first-hour is first-rate, even some of its characters, are indeed interesting. How one wishes if Writer/Director Saket Chaudhary's Screenplay had been much stronger. His Direction, on the other-hand, is fair. Cinematography, Editing & Art Design, are standard. Music by Pritam is decent.

Performance-Wise: Farhan, now a seasoned actor, dominates the show with an earnest performance. Vidya Balan is good, though her character comes across more as negative than positive. Ram Kapoor is very funny. His scenes stand out. Vir Das hams. Rati Agnihotri & Ila Arun shine in brief roles.

On the whole, 'Shaadi Ke Side Effects' is a half-baked fare.

A family person may need some space for self even after marriage, but how far can (s)he really go looking for it makes the subject.

The movie starts with a confident young married guy who seems to know how to keep his married life happy, But he panics soon as he becomes a father and tries to adjust himself to his new 'family'.

The movie does exaggerate some aspects for the sake of humor.For an example, the ordeals of fathers in a supposed kids play. And the side effects that the title mentions were mostly one sided. But the director did try to make amends in this aspect with a hint at the end of the movie.

All the characters were carefully drafted and meticulously used.

It took more than 7 years for 'pyar' to culminate into 'shaadi' for director Saket Chaudhary! His suave Sid and crazy Trisha (same character names as in the prequel 'Pyar ke side effects') finally get a reality check into the practical world of ' & they happily lived ever after'. Let's check all side-effects of this flick one-by-one:

• Plot: SKSE narrates the mundane yet pragmatic nuances of married life through the eyes of its male protagonist making the movie a fun riot for guys (with wife-jokes and mother-in-law jibes). However, this one won't disappoint ladies either as it does have its moments of sensitivity, emotions, tenderness and utter feminism. The movie well depicts the scuffle and issues that emerge into life of 2 people when they graduate from being 'couple' to 'parents'. Vidya's dialogue to Farhan – "We're pregnant" says it all! While the first half is smooth and refreshing (tickling your funny bone on regular basis), it loses a little grip in the middle but ends with a tinge of emotional (yet predictable) maturity enunciating 'strategy' for happy marriage.

• Cast: Farhan being the narrator, is the backbone of SKSE and literally wears Sid's soul on his sleeves! In all avatars, emotional/ fun, bachelor/ father, he excels and manages to convey with ease dilemmas of unprepared fatherhood along with his strife to strike a balance between the husband and father in him. Vidya, as per some people, is a misfit as she looks bloated throughout the movie. But then, who would have so easily portrayed the vulnerable yet suave yet wild Trisha who has just entered motherhood. I would rather say, her unshapely shape actually suited the demands of the character. The skin show could have been averted but then Vidya manages to carry it all with élan. Real-life couple Ram and Gautami Kapoor are endearing with Ram getting a good screen-space. He doesn't disappoint. Real-life VJs Purab Kohli and Vir Das manage to add funkiness through their respective characters. It was good to see Ila Arun after a long time while Rati Agnihotri fails to impress.

• Music: Opening number, Indo-western 'Desi romance' is my pick from the album while title track rocks with its Punjabi touch and funny lyrics by Amitabh Bhattacharya. Jazzy B's 'Harry is not a Brahamchari' is becoming a rage among boys. 'I am sorry tumse pyar ho gaya' reminds of 'Kya karun' from 'Wake up Sid'. Pritam won't stop drawing inspirations! In all music and background score well-suit the mood and pace of movie.

• Flaws: Despite superb acting by its actors, SKSE does have its share of flaws, major one being, extremity in certain situations reducing authenticity! Being narrated by male protagonist, it is quite skewed in favour of 'Adam' gender relegating the 'Eve' stereotyped. Also, the self-professed dual-life portion of Sid is a bit exaggerated.

Despite these flaws, SKSE is a refreshing urbane rom-com dealing with relevant issues of modern-day couples. Go watch it with your friends for some good laugh or your spouse to rewind some memories! This shaadi ka laddoo is worth tasting at least once! 

I was really looking forward for this film , as after a long time it looked like a sensible movie was coming out of Bollywood..and I was not disappointed , as the movie turned out exactly how I expected to be , funny and realistic at the same time..It may not be the most unconventional movie churned out , but still something worth watching If you're a fan of sitcoms nonetheless..

Farhan was just brilliant as the confused husband cum dad , while Vidya was perfect as the typical wife cum mum..both of them complemented each other wonderfully , which is one of the main reason the movie worked big time..

The only bad thing about the movie is it was too damn long , which shouldn't be for this kind of film , as some unnecessary scenes and songs could have been avoided..there comes a point in the 2nd half where you start wondering what is actually going on , but the movie picks up right before the climax..

So nothing much to say here I guess , if you love sensible cinema , you'll really enjoy the movie , but If you are into mindless masala movies , I suggest you ignore this one..

Let's get one thing cleared up here, Baby Ke Side Effects would be a more apt title for the movie, however, if you are ready to forgive that and get along with the movie, there is a fair chance of you enjoying it.

The movie relies heavily on its quirky writing and the humor that comes out of it. The best thing that the director of the movie could have done was to cast Farhan Akthar in the lead role as he suits the bill with his comic timing and delivery of witty dialogue. The actor is hysterical right from the word go. He drives the lead character in such a way that you will be rooting for him, even when most of the time he is playing a careless father. Vidya Balan's subtle portrayal of a urban woman struggling to be a new mother is remarkable. The vulnerability and emotions that she portrays makes sure that one does not forget her in a movie which is clearly tipped form a guy's perspective. The chemistry between the lead actors is what makes the whole experience worthwhile. Vir Das, Ram Kapoor, Purabh Kohli and Ila Arun chip in with good performances, though I'm not sure they were needed in this setup, they hardly fit the narrative, the exception being that of Ram Kapoor, but they could have made it short and it would have been sweeter.

The first half of the film is filled with witty moments and you will find yourself beaming, but as the movie progresses the narrative looses steam and its only the gags that keep you interested in it, but luckily enough there are enough gags to keep you feeling good about the movie. The second half of the movie starts on a promising note but soon it all goes astray and you secretly want the movie to reach its climax. The pacing of the movie is a big issue, even though the movie feels fresh and the direction is suave it does little to keep u engaged in the third act of the movie when the gags die and the movie takes a more serious turn.

Overall its a fun movie and if you are not looking for something to be overwhelmed then you will definitely enjoy it.