Bollywood
Review: ‘Badhaai Do’: Stretched narrative makes for tedious viewing
Film: ‘Badhaai Do’ (Running in Theatres); Duration: 147 minutes.
Director: Harshavardhan Kulkarni. Cast: Rajkummar Rao, Bhumi Pednekar, Sheeba Chaddha, Seema Pahwa, Loveleen Mishra and Nitesh Pandey.
IANS Rating: **1/2
Bold themes reflecting the changing reality of our society are slowly but surely making their way into Hindi films.
While the honesty and intention are laudable, Harshavardhan Kulkarni’s ‘Badhai Do’ is forcefully stretched to make this point palatable to the audience. Also, somewhere down the line, the message loses its impact and earnestness.
Shardul Thakur (Rajkummar Rao) and Sumi Singh (Bhumi Pednekar) come from middle-class families where societal norms are expected to be complied with. The two of them however are ‘different’.
They belong to the queer community, and discovering a common goal, enter into a marriage of convenience, wherein each one leads his or her life freely while keeping up pretences of being a happily married couple.
The societal pressure of having a baby, and elders in the family trying hard to make it happen, make things spiral out of control, and a chance discovery of Sumi with her partner, Rimjhim (Chum Darang), causes the Pandora’s Box to be opened. How they explain to their families that they are born to be different and are not suffering from a ‘disease’ forms the crux of the film.
Rajkummar Rao, as the policeman, fixated upon fitness and body-building, flaunting his six-pack abs and an enviable physique, every inch looks his part. But somewhere, in his bid to be different and not use stereotypical mannerisms, as he essays this character, he tries too hard and fails to impress. One does not empathise with him and one cannot feel his predicament.
Bhumi Pednekar as Sumi, a Physical Education teacher, scores over Rao in her realistic portrayal and seems to be more comfortable portraying her bold character. Yet, somewhere, neither of them is deeply convincing.
The supporting cast of veteran actors deliver what is expected of them. The scene on the terrace where Shardul’s mother (Sheeba Chaddha) embraces her sobbing son in acceptance is poignant.
The plot is linear, with the narrative having a single-minded focus on delivering this message to its audience. The length of the film and the lacklustre chemistry between the lead cast, however, dilute this impact.
The setting of the film — middle-class small-town families and societal expectations — are a tad exaggerated, merely to drive home the point and heighten the contrast.
The LGBTQ+ rally towards the end, to reiterate their liberation and acceptance of who they are, is one of the several uncalled-for instances in the film, which merely adds to its length, not its gravitas.
Also, the sensitivity of the issue and the societal reactions, particularly those of middle-class families, are made to look trite, and with the several forced attempts to highlight the struggles of this community, somewhere along the way, the seriousness of the message is lost.
The music meshes well with the theme of the film. ‘Atak Gaya’ by Arijit Singh, in particular, encapsulates the essence of the film.
Overall, this film appears to be just another take on LGBTQ+ issues, this time adding the adoption angle to the otherwise commonplace matter of coming out of the closet and making your families understand. Mounted with moderate production values the film tends to get tedious at times.
Bollywood
Mahima Chaudhry & Sanjay Mishra’s ‘Durlabh Prasad Ki Dusri Shadi’ to be out on December 19

Mumbai, Nov 17: The makers of Mahima Chaudhry and Sanjay Mishra’s forthcoming romantic entertainer “Durlabh Prasad Ki Dusri Shadi” have finally announced the release date for the film. The drama has been locked to be out in the cinema halls on December 19 this year.
The announcement poster showed groom Sanjay lovingly looking at Mahima, who is dressed as a bride, with a garland in his hand.
Both Mahima and Sanjay were seen blushing in a post captioned, “The wedding bells are ringing! (Bell emoji) Get ready to celebrate love, family, and second chances. #DurlabhPrasadKiDusriShadi is coming to the big screen on 19th DECEMBER. (sic).”
“Durlabh Prasad Ki Dusri Shaadi” has been made under the direction of Siddhant Raj Singh. The project shares the tale of a young man who embarks on a desperate mission to find a new bride for his widowed father, after facing immense pressure from his prospective in-laws to have a woman in the house before they send their daughter.
The core cast of the drama also features Vyom Yadav, Palak Lalwani, Pravin Singh Sisodia, and Shrikant Verma in key roles, along with others.
Sharing why this character holds a special place for him, Sanjay revealed in a statement, “Durlabh Prasad is a character you’ll love for his simplicity and innocence. Comedy with emotion is always special, and this film has both in abundance. I’m excited for audiences to meet this unique dulha and his equally unique journey.”
Previously, Sanjay took to social media and posted the first look poster from the movie, along with the caption, “The bride has been found, get ready now, because the barat will be coming soon, from theaters near you or far. #DurlabhPrasadKiDusriShadi releasing in cinemas soon! (sic).”
The poster features a close-up of Mahima as a glowing bride, while Sanjay poses as an unconventional Dulha. He is seen holding a photo frame of the bride instead of the real bride herself.
Bollywood
Farah Khan says ‘enjoy this beautiful phase’ as Rajkummar Rao & Patralekhaa welcome their baby girl

Mumbai, Nov 15: Filmmaker and choreographer Farah Khan congratulated the new parents on the block, Rajkummar Rao and Patralekhaa, as they welcomed their first child, a baby girl, on Saturday.
Dropping a couple of lovely photos from Patralekhaa’s baby shower on social media, Farah advised Rajkummar and Patralekhaa to enjoy this beautiful phase of their life.
Taking to her official Instagram handle, Farah wrote, “The Baby is here!! Congratulations @patralekhaa n @rajkummar_rao .. enjoy this beautiful phase of life (sparkling heart emojis) n remember for any baby advice.. main hoon na.. (winking face with tongue emoji) (sic).”
“p.s.- @iamhumaq luckily we just about did the baby shower in time (face with tears of joy emoji),” she added.
The images show the couple twinning in yellow as they posed in the middle of a cake, balloons, and a giant teddy bear.
Rajkummar and Patralekhaa made the happy announcement on social media with a sweet Insta post that read, “We are over the moon God has blessed us with a Baby girl…Blessed parents Patralekhaa and Rajkumaar(sic).”
“(red heart and folded hands emoji) The greatest blessing God has given us on our 4th wedding anniversary. (sic),” they captioned the joint post.
Several big names from Bollywood congratulated the new parents in the comment section.
Actor Varun Dhawan commented, “(red heart emoji) welcome to the club guys@(red heart emoji)”
Actress Neha Dhupia said, “Congratulations you guys (red heart emojis) welcome to the best hood … parenthood(red heart emoji).”
Actor Ali Fazal shared, “Oh my goddddd!!!! So so happy to hear this . Congratulations you two beautiful people. Mubaarak…(red heart emojis).”
Rajkummar and Patralekhaa announced their first pregnancy back in July this year.
The couple uploaded a joint post on their official Instagram accounts saying, “Baby on the way – Patralekhaa & Rajkummar (sic).”
Bollywood
Tabu’s Bold Ramp Walk For Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla In Black Cape Steals The Show At Fashion Event In Mumbai

Bollywood star Tabu once again showcased that style truly transcends age as she turned showstopper for the celebrated designer duo Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla. Her commanding runway presence-sharp posture, confident stride, and fierce gaze, left the audience spellbound.
The 54-year-old actor, who celebrated her birthday on November 4, made a powerful statement in a monochrome ensemble. She wore parallel black trousers, a cowl-neck tunic, and a long architectural jacket embellished with luxurious silver crystals and intricate hand embroidery. The outfit beautifully blended Indian craftsmanship with contemporary glamour.
Her styling elevated the drama- a sleek high bun, bold red lipstick, and intense kohl-lined eyes added to her striking aura. Tabu completed her look with classic shiny black loafers, perfectly balancing comfort and timeless elegance.
Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla shared stunning photos of Tabu from the event on Instagram, describing the show’s theme as “A Thousand and One Nights”, imagined through nocturnal celebration and opulence.
The designers highlighted that the coat was a reinvented edition of their maximal signature piece, featuring thousands of sequins hand-embroidered on a black base, crafted from pure chamois satin and crepe de chine.
The show was attended by prominent Bollywood names including Jaya Bachchan, Neetu Kapoor, and Soni Razdan, who cheered on as Tabu lit up the runway.
The comments section quickly filled with admiration, with fans calling her “regal,” “stunning,” “gorgeous” and “fantabulous.” Many applauded her effortless grace and ability to deliver unforgettable style moments every single time she steps into the spotlight.
From red carpets to high-fashion ramps, Tabu continues to prove why she remains one of Bollywood’s most respected and celebrated fashion icons. Her latest showstopper moment reinforces that confidence, craft, and elegance are her signature style, always age-defying and always iconic.
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