Badhaai Ho

*ing: Neena Gupta, Ayushmann Khurrana, Sanya Malhotra, Gajraj Rao, Surekha Sikri

Rated: 7/10

Ayushmann Khurrana is on a roll, giving two back t back hits, first in Andha Dhun and now with Badhai Ho! You could say Badhai Ho! is a great film in a small mould — cute, happening and dealing with an issue that has long been lost between the sheets when it comes to parents being assessed by their grown and growing up children, in this case computer engineer Ayushmann and his teenaged brother.

Of course, there is no question of a parental couple engaging in sex, it’s taken for granted that they never did it and the children came from celestial intervention! It’s embarrassing for the kids even if a stray thought of a romantic relationship between their parents comes to light. And if that romance culminates into a baby coming, there is no end to it!

Badhai Ho! deals with this societal embarrassment and a woman’s travails after she refuses to abort the child despite having young adults as her children. Neena Gupta is stunning in her bloated, aged self as Priyamvada who has a mind of her own despite being a middle class dutiful bahu, mother and wife. She is, in fact, the central character of the film and a perfect fit in that space. Her husband, played by Gajraj Rao, is equally so and the two together complement each other completely — he, as a doting husband, and she as a dutiful mother, bahu and wife.

Everything here is real, interesting and arresting. The humour in the situation is never lost though it is more subtle than the raging embarrassment on all faces that visit the screen. The beauty of this film is that every character seems to be the lead, playing his or her part with minimum fuss but maximum impact. The film ambles along this one idea and despite not taking a break from it, draws you into the middle-class family living in Lodi Colony’s Governmental underbelly.

Sanya Malhotra as Aysuhmann’s love interest squares up the sides of this engaging story with amazing screen presence and beauty, not even once complaining of being put on the periphery of the movie. Surekha Sikri as the cantankerous saas plays up the angst of children not being with their elderly parents in a passionate manner and laughter evoking lines.

Gajraj Rao is a delight as Gupta’s loving husband trying to balance all zones of life with mother on one side, children on the other and of course his wife becoming pregnant almost in old age as the centre of his existence.

The film has everything for everyone — humour, situation and family drama. The subject, can parents have sex — and a baby — is hatke and interesting. This movie will make your week so do go for it!