In Ghudchadi, Parth Samthaan plays an underwear seller. He isn't selling just any underwear. These are underwear with holes which act as “hydro-oxy purifiers”. The Shark Tank-esque pitch is not received well by the investors.
Chirag's father is Colonel Veer Pratap, an ex-army man whose partner, Amrita is no more. He cracks jokes straight out of WhatsApp forwards (it seems like the films's target audience is middle-aged men). The ‘uncle humour’ on display includes wife jokes, jokes on erectile dysfunction, premature ejaculation and the likes. The film manages all of this while continuing to stay in the zone of a ‘paarivarik’ picture.
Ghudchadi Movie: Plot
Kalyani Devi's sole purpose of existence is to get her grandson married. She is on death's doorstep but like every grandparent ever, she wants to dance on her grandson's ghudchadi. She literally has one job (to get him married) and she is failing at it. Why, you ask? Because Kalyani is a casteist woman who wants Baniya girls to stay away from her Pandit son, as she quite literally says this at one point (she needs to read ‘Annihilation of Caste’ ASAP).
A school-level conflict plays out as she continues rejecting girls at her son’s behest while Chirag develops a liking for a girl who he meets at a wedding function (Devika, played by Khushalii Kumar). Raveena Tandon is introduced as Maneka, a middle-aged woman who couldn’t marry Veer (owing to his casteist mother). She now runs a salon (and in her spare time, teaches male rashdrivers a thing or two sexism).
Ghudchadi Movie: Performances
As Veer and Maneka develop a liking for each other all over again, Chirag and Devika go on dates in Chandni Chowk. It is revealed that Devika and Maneka are mother-daughter duo. As the two couples run into each other at a club chaos ensues. Sanjay Dutt and Raveena Tandon’s chemistry in the film is convincing, even if it doesn’t light up every frame as one would expect from actors of their caliber.
The magic lies in what is left unsaid—the long silences, pauses and lingering looks. The once-madly-in-love couple have moved on to the next chapter of their lives, but are still hung up on each other. The film offers commentary on ageism and just how difficult it is for those in their 50s to find love again.
Ghudchadi Movie: Writing And Direction
Much of this commentary is not commentary really—it is explained as a powerpoint presentation —in the amateurish way possible. The dumbing down of middle-aged romance and explaining it as a charity cause is frankly, very school-skit inspired. Let alone nuance, the film isn’t even indirect about the way it chooses to address some of its plot points.
As Veer finally stands up against Kalyani’s outdated views on caste and marriage, she decides to leave the house. They say tragedies bring families closer. Veer and Maneka have a car accident, which is followed by a lengthy kidney donation melodrama, best watched at 1.5 x speed. This causes a change of heart for Kalyani, as the two couples marry each other in a ‘Hum Saath Saath Hain’ Sooraj Barjatya-style climax.
Ghudchadi Movie: What Works, What Doesn't
The immature, amateurish take on middle-aged romance aside, Ghudchadi is immensely watchable, even if the humour is too Kapil Sharma Show-level. The glib, drab humour is mostly harmless, and makes for an engaging watch, even if it isn’t gripping. If only Binnoy Gandhi had channeled a bit of nuance in this romantic comedy, Ghudchadi would have worked well as a middle-aged romance story.
If you are in for a harmless family entertainer with a few unintelligent jokes thrown in, Ghudchadi might just be the perfect weekend watch for you. PS. Watch out for a cameo by Sukhbir (Ishq Tera Tadpave hitmaker) in one of the songs. There is also a blink-and-miss appearance by the uncle who appeared in Swiggy’ gulaab jamun advertisement.
Rating: 2 / 5 stars
Ghudchadi is now streaming on JioCinema.
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