Kaushaljis vs Kaushal subtly touches upon parents’ thought processes, their unfulfilled dreams and aspirations crushed under the roles and responsibilities. It also beautifully gives out the message to be a little more empathetic towards parents.
Director: Seemaa Desai
Star cast: Ashutosh Rana, Sheeba Chaddha, Pavail Gulati, Isha Talwar
Where to watch: JioHotstar
Runtime: 2hr 12min
Rating: 3.5 stars
Yug (Pavail Gulati), a practical advertising executive in Noida falls in love with Kiara Meena Bansal (Isha Talwar). Kiara comes from a broken home and wishes to settle down in a family where she could fill her void. However, things at Yug’s home in Kannauj aren’t all well, as his parents, Sahil Kaushal (Ashutosh Rana) and his wife Sangita (Sheeba Chaddha) have decided to end their 26 years of marriage and filed for a divorce. Will Yug let his parents go on separate paths? What makes Sahil and Sangita take such a drastic step? Will they give love another chance? These answers make Kaushaljis VS Kaushal a pleasing watch.
In the day and age of mass action masala films, a slice-of-life, easy-to-watch entertainers have become a rarity. Thanks to OTT, we get to enjoy a film that are light-hearted, and relatable and leave you with mixed feelings of being happy and emotional. Kaushaljis VS Kaushal is a valid new addition to this league, a short and sweet family entertainer that will surprise you.
With the trailer, my perception towards the film was much along the lines of Badhaai Ho, a film based on the generation gap, and how young kids fail to understand their parents. Thankfully, Kaushaljis vs Kaushal is more than that. It has interesting premises, where the elders are trying to ‘move on’ from their marriage and the kids are trying to patch them up and find out why their relationship has reached such a stage. It subtly touches upon parents’ thought processes in their 60s, their unfulfilled dreams and aspirations crushed under the roles and responsibilities. The film also beautifully gives out the message to young minds to be a little more empathetic and stop being practical when it comes to parents.
Watch the trailer
The film is written and directed by debutant Seemaa Desai, and she deserves applause for telling a simple story in an effective manner. Dialogue is also written by Seemaa, and there are moments that hit you hard, and a major contribution lies in the lines said by the powerhouse of talents.
Speaking about performances, the film solely belongs to Ashutosh Rana and Sheeba Chadha. They are the heart and soul of the film. Their conflict, their hidden desires, their urge to break the marriage, and the confrontations during the climax will move you. Ashutosh also gives you many laughing moments, and you will be in awe of his seamless comic timing. Sheeba also never tries hard to make situations goofy, it’s her reaction that will make you chuckle. Brijendra Kala provides good support to Ashutosh and Grusha Kapoor also makes you laugh in several places. Pavail Gulati shines in his performance. He brings the maturity in a nuanced manner and never goes over the top. Despite limited scope, Pavail leaves a mark. Isha Talwar is also decent, but sadly her character doesn’t have a scope after a point.
Speaking about the shortcomings, the film gives you a dejavu of Badhaai Ho and even JugJugg Jeeyo. The songs are catchy enough. Also, the conflict and the outcome in the climax look rushed. The film could have utilised the young actors well, and it seems like they were ignored, their love story was half-baked. Overall, Kaushaljis VS Kaushal is the best watch for families. It will make you laugh and also emotional at the same time.
