Sunday, 11 June 2017

'Badrinath ki Dulhaniya'- Misunderstood and underrated

Indians are carping by nature. Criticism is more like an impulse than an intended action. Finding petty faults without giving due importance to the context is our favourite pastime. 
There were highly critical reviews of the movie, 'Badrinath ki Dulhania'. (I watched the movie just yesterday) The movie got barely 3 stars but managed to do well on the box office. 

Several people were angered by certain scenes and portrayals, clearly failing to grasp the bigger picture behind them. Here is how and what people missed to appreciate.

Plot- The movie deals with issues of dowry, patriarchy and women empowerment. It highlights how even extremely rich households control their women. They will shower them with gold and money but won't allow them to pursue their career. The movie subtly touches these issues and is a true reflection of the fact that they are rooted in the society, so much so, that we find them normal.

Characters
Varun Dhawan (Badri) deserves an award for his performance. He caught the essence of his character so wonderfully. Badri is who he is because of his surrounding and upbringing. A man brought up by a dominant cruel father, a non-protesting mother and was exposed to goons and getting things done his way. This same man changes to become a respecting and compassionate person after he sees a woman living independently and on her own terms. 

Alia Bhatt (Vaidehi) was equally smooth. No frills or over drama, just natural acting. Vaidehi is a strong and brave woman truly who put her self-respect, independence and career above anything else. She fought family pressure, felt sincerely guilty for running away at the last moment and made up for it and despite everything, appreciated Badri for his pure heart. 

Swetha Basu (Urmilla) came out as a fine actor too. Her character in the movie expresses the sad reality of 90% Indian households. She is highly qualified, intelligent and contributes to her husband's business but has to do it secretly as she is not allowed to work. 

The one where Varun Dhawan is assaulted- Many viewers didn't appreciate Alia and other people laughing when Badri was assaulted in Singapore. The director is wise enough to not deal with such a sensitive issue in humor. However, that is the reflection of how society treats male-molestation. This scene should not to be taken on face value but on its implicit message.

Overall, the script was believable and with amazing punches of healthy comedy and no abusive language or vulgarity. It is shocking why so many people failed to notice the subtle treatment and the implied seriousness of things. Hats off to Shashank Khaitan for a close-to-reality direction and careful and a fun-filled dealing of serious issues.







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