#Review – ‘Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan’ has a bold subject, but sloppy execution

Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan [2020] is the second installment to 2017 film Shubh Mangal Saavdhan, which was bound to have a bolder subject to create an impact. And it did, but not enough.

However, what could’ve been a clutter-breaking film, is unfortunately let down by a sloppy execution.

The trailer basically gave away the crux of the storyline – homosexuality and the deep-rooted homophobia within a conservative family. But the film failed to go beyond what we already saw in the promos.

The story is about a couple Kartik Singh [Ayushmann Khurrana] and Aman Tripathi [Jitendra Kumar] who traveling to the latter’s hometown for his cousin’s wedding. On their train ride along with the entire family on-board, they have a passionate moment and are caught by Aman’s father.

What follows is a series events where the family tries to “purify” Aman, attempts to explain homophobia, and cope with the evolved notions of love.

Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan explores various angles of highlighting the prejudices and misconceptions about homosexuality, through different characters and elements.

You want to root for their relationship, equality and love, but it’s all too erratic to sink into the characters and feel empathy. The serious subject is interlaced with subtle and clever humor, but it doesn’t quite hit the right notes to keep you engaged.

There are some quirky and witty bits in the film that certainly help drive the point home:

• The opening scene with Kartik and Aman running to hop on a moving train – an iconic scene from the 90’s etched in our minds as a symbol of heroic love. Surely a clever way portrayal of how far we’ve come to understanding and normalizing homosexuality.
• The analogy of a genetically modified cauliflower
  the natural being unnatural to same-sex love, which is as natural as any other love.

Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan solely rests on the shoulders of its actors.

• Actor Jitendra Kumar plays a shy, reserved and calm man who avoids conflict. It’s a character we may have seen him play before, but his performance is sharp as a nervous son and practical lover. You believe his fear in coming out to the world, yet his struggle to maintain peace.

• Actress Maanvi Gagroo plays “Goggle” – a girl who has a glass eye and is desperate to get married. Gagroo is lovable and even relatable as a sarcastic and moody woman, who is just fed-up with drama everywhere around her. She’s aware of her flaw, but that never stops her from walking into any room with swag.
• Supporting cast of Neena Gupta, Gajraj Rao, Manu Rishi and Sunita Rajwar also shine in every frame, even though their characters are under-developed for the most part.

Popcorn Rating: [2 / 5]

Overall, Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan definitely pushes some boundaries of traditional cinema. It treads carefully to balance the entertainment quotient as well as shed light on a sensitive subject. However, fails to trigger any real conversation.

Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan is streaming on Amazon Prime Video.