150. Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan; movie review

SHUBH MANGAL ZYADA SAAVDHAN
Cert 12A
117 mins
BBFC advice: Contains implied strong language, suicide references, discrimination theme

It's not the first Bollywood movie to have gay men as the lead characters but it is easily the most mainstream and the acclaim of Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan shows a seismic shift.
Until 2018, it was a crime to be gay in India. That's right - just two years ago.
This isn't too much of surprise when we think about the layers of tradition on which Indian life is based.
Can anyone imagine an arranged marriage between a couple of the same sex?
The irony is that the British colonialists enshrined in law homosexuality as a crime and it would appear that it was embraced by the conservative Indian society despite their loathing of their occupiers.
In Hitesh Kewalya's comedy, this backwards-thinking is represented by Gajraj Rao who plays a father who wants things just as he perceives they should be.
However, on the way to a family wedding, he sees his son (Jitendra Kumar) kissing his flamboyant friend (Ayushmann Khurrana).
The fall-out has ramifications for the nuptials and far beyond.
As said, Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan is a boundary-pushing movie and it is makers have been clever enough to push its social commentary through comedy.
Kumar's character Aman is initially quiet and reluctant to go public on his sexuality but his boyfriend Kartik gives him little choice, preferring loud and proud proclamations.
I found it difficult to empathise with Kartik. Everyone knows that you cannot make an omelette without cracking eggs but his approach is too one-dimensional.
But I was cheering inwardly for Aman, especially when he is confronted with a plan to marry him off to the suitable and over-eager Kusum (Pankhuri Awasthy).
Kewalya's film darts off it a barrage of tangents from a half-blind jilted bride on a runaway horse to the bizarre cultivation of black cauliflowers by Aman's dad causing a local strike.
But this is an effective comedic lure for the traditionalists who may not have been receptive to the movie's main message.
Hopefully, while they were chuckling to its other elements, they are hit the eye by the obvious - love should win through regardless of gender or background.
If they are won over, Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan will have succeeded and maybe the forerunner for a whole new genre in Indian cinema.


Reasons to watch: Offbeat family comedy
Reasons to avoid: Some of the jokes are out of time

Laughs: Chuckles rather than laughs
Jumps: None
Vomit: Yes
Nudity: None
Overall rating: 6.5/10

Did you know? Homosexuality was never illegal or a criminal offence in ancient Indian and traditional codes but was criminalised by the British during their rule in India. It was decriminalised in 2018.

The final word. Ayushmann Khuranna: "Doing it (highlighting LBGTQ issues through comedy is important because it's a big taboo in small cities. The audience will come for entertainment and will take home a message. I will be over the day I stop taking risks.” Filmfare

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