Badhaai Do puts forward an important point about the discrimination faced by the LGBTQIA+ community, especially in our conservative society. The film has some nice comic moments which keep the interest going and keep viewers entertained. The film, however, is too long at 147 minutes. The middle portions are unexciting and slow. Some funny scenes fall flat; the dialogues particularly could have been better. The last 30-35 minutes, however, are very strong, emotionally, and it probably would alter your overall opinion about the film. The finale is very sweet and touching. Speaking of performances, Rajkummar Rao is excellent, as always. It’s good to see him break stereotypes as he plays a homosexual, moustachioed cop with six-pack abs, a rare depiction for a gay character in our films. Bhumi Pednekar, too, is at her best and is sure to touch your heart with her act. Sheeba Chaddha doesn’t have much to do initially but is sure to make you laugh and shed a tear in the second half. Chum Darang (Rimjhim Jongkey) is a great discovery and a big surprise of the film. Gulshan Devaiah is too good in a cameo. Seema Pahwa, Nitesh Pandey (Bhumi’s father) and others also do well. The music is forgettable but ‘Hum Rang Hai’ is well composed and well placed in the film. All in all, Badhaai Do is a fine attempt and despite the length, it deserves a watch.
My rating – *** out of 5!