This one feels like it was made more for eye candy than anything else. The film is almost 15 years old now, so it might've been one of the earlier ones to touch on a throuple, or at least hint at it. It runs about 75 minutes, which makes it an easy sit, but with tighter editing and fewer repetitive scenes, it could've been a crisp little short film. Rene runs the family business to support his sick grandmother, while his aunt, who looks after her, keeps trying to match him up with different women so he'll finally settle down. The thing is, Rene's gay, and he's in love with his driver. He's way too shy and closed off to ever say it out loud, but one weekend he loosens up on a seaside trip with the guy he's crazy about. That night, after a lot of drinking, they sleep together and Rene finally admits how he feels. Still, he knows the driver has a long term partner he can't leave. Once Rene's had enough, he heads to the driver's house planning to tal...
Shardul is the only make cop in an all female police station. He is a body builder and a very macho portraying guy hiding a secret. His family desperately wants him to get married. But courtesy a creepy dating app, he gets to meet Suman, a female physical education teacher who is a closet lesbian. Shardul convinces her to get married to him so thatchy can keep their families off their back. The situation seems mutually beneficial to both. Shardul already has a boyfriend, who is much younger and soon gets tired of Shardul's controlling ways. Suman ends up meeting girl named Jhilmil and sparks fly. She in fact ends up moving in with the couple in presence of being a costing for the roving eyes of neighbors and extended families. Shardul eventually ends up meeting a lawyer, who is comfortable in his own skin. But while all this is happening, the families pressure to have a kid starts mounting up. How do they handle the pressure, what happens eventually when the truth is revealed and how do Shardul and Suman create a new family dynamic with kids and their respective partners along with family blessings form a part of rest of the narrative.
Even though, Badhaai Do is rooted in the Indian ethos and sensibilities, it explores the conflicts and complexities of maintaining same-sex relationships in a small city keeping its unique charm and light tone. The film is funny at ,multiple places but it never steers away from the path and the message that it is trying to say here. The film shows us the beautiful relationship of a layman-lesbian woman couple who has entered this marriage of convenience and the social pressures they face. They don't share a romantic relationship but their constant bantering as roommates sharing a roof while also pursuing their individual love life touches a chord with audience. Shardul is worried about his macho male cop image, while Suman is more relaxed. Not just that, towards the end the film also addresses the fact that same sex couples are not legally allowed to adopt in India and the film beautifully portrays the pathos there too, especially from Suman's point of view who has always wanted a child. I also enjoyed the short but sweet couples. Suman and Jhilmil, the way they meet, they court each other, their fears ; everything tell us that language if love and its challenges are all the same, irrespective of gender. Same is the case with Shardul when he meets the new lawyer guy. He wants to go all out but is extremely extremely fearful of what if people find out. The scene where he gets drunk and pours his heart out to Suman is wonderful. The film sensitively portrays the immense loneliness and sense of isolation that a gay person feels, especially when they lack a window to communicate openly with their family, and are forced to deal with issues on their own. Their final coming out sequences are heart wrenching. It reflects the anxiety and fear that most LGBTQIA+ people face. It definitely brought me my memories back of coming out my Indian family.
Coming to all the extended family members, this has been a formal which films have explored in recent few years and it always brings down the mood of the film. Shardul' widowed mother is a hoot in her role of a complete homebody who can never take any decision in her life. And so are the other many actors. The issue of hyper masculinity in middle class Indian families is briefly touched upon but never fully explored. Yes, the film doesn't address all the issues and the climax and ending is a little too convenient in this case (which I can guarantee is very unlikely to happen in real life), but its one step in the right direction, especially for mainstream Indian film with two very mainstream actors doing a very strong and commendable job of their roles and they along with the film makers deserve every applause coming their way. As I say with most films out of India, we have a long way to go but with films like this, we are taking baby steps but in the right direction. (8/10)
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