Such is the virtue of a helping hand - it could gift new lives to those in need - commanding a price for what is practiced regularly for self-pleasure. What in our parlance doesn't measure up to the dignity attached to the word "donation", has been delightfully made into a feature film; that which frame by frame has smoothly tickled the funny bone while driving an impact very hard to shut eyes to.
"Vicky Donor" is a winner by huge margins in the nationwide elections for a movie that would figure in the prestigious "Khosla Ka Ghosla" category of Bollywood movies.
Director Shoojit Sircar has got almost 95% of the things right in this movie that neither for a fraction of a second becomes overblown despite the loud presence of an over-the-top Punjabi family nor does it submit to the caricatures of a cross-cultural romance. That's how a jovial Punjabi Vicky Arora (Ayushmann Khurrana) from Lajpat Nagar falls in love with a balanced "Bongshell" Ashima Roy (Yami Gautam) from C R Park and confuses her Pishi for the name of a cat. The good old Punjabi tadka in this movie is so luscious that plentiful more of it is yearned for, stays buried deep inside your nostrils and refuses to vacate the plot.
Dr. Baldev Chaddha (Annu Kapoor) who runs a fertility clinic and sperm bank in Delhi is desperately hunting for an all-in-one sperm donor to meet the lofty demands of his clients. As luck would have it, he finally manages to spot one in Delhi: Vicky, the proud and carefree son of Dolly (Dolly Ahluwalia), the owner of a local beauty parlour. Vicky isn't an easy nut to crack for the self-respect he possesses for dramatic reasons; but for the talent that Chaddha finds in Vicky, he toils hard to convince this deadly combination of Dhoni, Brad Pitt, Lady Gaga, SRK and Aishwarya.
Vicky agrees and his releases keep on taking shapes of the containers at Chaddha's chamber, adding to the family count of couples from all over the world and leaving him richer. In between, Ashima happens, then marriage and then a predictable twist.
As a harmless critic, it is difficult for me to decide where to start when it comes to praising the actors in the movie. A fitting start would be by lauding Juhi Chaturvedi, the screenplay writer of "Vicky Donor", who is also responsible for the exchange of sparkling and witty dialogues between Dolly and her present-day mother-in-law (Kamlesh Gill). Such a sizzling chemistry between a bahu and a biji is very rare in hindi cinema. What outstanding actors they are! The alcohol sessions and the subsequent talks between Ahluwalia and Gill are a treat to watch.
Chaturvedi's screenplay is brilliantly deprived of the absurdity that Bollywood filmmakers often mistreat as comedy. Except for the finale, which has a traditional feeling to it, the rest of the movie has been scripted with the magic touch of two basic elements: simplicity and story. That's why it would never fail to entertain; the hangover would be the bonus for the audience. Even though, I feel that the "Punjabi versus Bengali" part could have been much better, I enjoyed every second of the momentary tussle between the families.
Annu Kapoor is the kind of actor who reinstalls faith in the institution of character artists - the crease on the forehead, the perfect Delhi-Punju accent, the task of passing on a porn magazine to Vicky, the responsibility to reunite a family - perfect. Yami Gautam is the gorgeous dessert that lives up to the responsibility of tasting good as well.
Never thought this anchor-VJ could be such a good actor. Undoubtedly, Khurrana is the soul of the movie; not only for being the hero of the movie but for delivering much more than expected. Way to go!
SYNOPSIS:-
Vicky Arora (Ayushmann Khurana) is an aimless and jobless Delhi boy. He is persuaded by Dr Baldev Chaddha (Annu Kapoor), an infertility clinic owner to become a sperm donor that could help childless couples. After much resistance, he finally agrees to the act to earn some easy money. Soon he makes a fortune out of his potent attribute. He also marries the love of his life Ashima (Yaami Gautam) but things take a drastic turn when she comes to know about his covert contributions to the sperm bank.
Vicky Donor comes with a fresh story. Call it a love story on the backdrop of sperm donation or a film about sperm donation with a love story within - the writing by Juhi Chaturvedi seamlessly integrates the two elements to come up with a wholesome entertainer. Further director Shoojit Sircar flawlessly catches the pulse of Delhi and the drama in the narrative.
While the film lightly touches on the theme of the shortage of sperm donors and the social stigma attached to the act (unlike blood or organ donations), it intentionally refrains from being an issue-based cinema. Vicky's initial opposition to the idea aptly brings out the average apprehensions and his consequent consent reveals the monetary motives behind the act.
The love story between the lead pair that starts off on a flirtatious note but soon translates into an amiable affair, brings a sublime smile on your face throughout. The romance is refreshing and the chemistry between the couple is hot-n-happening. Soon the love affair of the cross-cultural couple gets into the 'Two States' zone. The film takes an unapologetic look at the culture characteristics (or call it cliches) of the Punjabi boy and Bengali girl and the divergent divide expressed in the sequence of scenes that lead to their matrimony is absolutely uproarious.
But beyond having a splendid sense of humour, the film also has a very poignant side to it. The fact that Vicky's fervent fertility isn't of any productive use to himself is where the film defines a strong contrasting conflict in the narrative. Since the couple's camaraderie was so sizzling, you feel the pinch as they part ways. Further Sircar successfully defines and distinguishes emotions, elucidating how the point of marital discord between the couple is not merely mistrust but insecurity. The climax comes across as convenient though isn't unconvincing.
The pacing is fast and the multiple-montage crisp editing never lets you lose the narrative. The dialogues vary from the quirky to the well-worded conversations and contribute immensely to the humour quotient. The music is peppy and goes smoothly with the flow of the film.
Vicky Donor is what it is primarily for the livewire energy of Vicky played by Ayushmann Khurana. The actor is so natural that it never seems he's acting but rather gliding through the role. He is a pro at both the comedy and emotional scenes. Given the right roles, Ayushmann has the potential to be the next big thing in Bollywood. Yaami Gautam is absolutely ravishing and captivates with her unending charm. The beauty also reflects in her performance. The supporting cast is blessed with quirky yet relatable characterizations. Annu Kapoor as the desperate doctor is brilliant and incites most laughs. Dolly Ahluwalia as the hyperactive Punjabi mother is superlative and such a pleasant change from the regular prototypes. Kamlesh Gill as the modern grandma who shares a drink with her daughter-in-law and aspires for iphones and LED TVs is another fabulous characterization and a fantabulous actor. Jayanta Das as the girl's Bengali father is as much amusing.
ON A SERIOUS NOTE:-
No fertile men in 50 years as sperm counts slide?
(A study from Scotland of 7,500 men who attended the Aberdeen Fertility Centre between 1989 and 2002 showed that average sperm concentrations fell by nearly 30%.)
MUMBAI: Blame it on growing levels of stress,obesity or pollutants in the air, counts of the microscopic sperm are falling and causing mega concern across the globe. One estimate holds that it has fallen by as much as 50% in the last 50 years.
Dr P M Bhargava, who worked out the Indian guidelines for assisted reproductive techniques (which are soon expected to become the law), said the trend of falling sperm counts was noticed in the mid-90s in the West. "Some doctors in India believe that sperm counts are falling locally too," he said, adding that the western studies show that counts have been falling by 2% every year. "At this rate, there would be no fertile men left in the next 40-50 years," added the Hyderabad-based Bhargava, who is counted among India's foremost scientists.
Overall Verdict: 3.5/5
REVIEW BY:- GOPAL KRISHNA
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