Dream Girl - Film Review

#DreamGirl

I think by now it’s safe to say that if it’s an Ayushmann Khurrana movie, it must be watched. Because, one thing’s for sure, we are guaranteed a unique entertainer, something that we’ve probably never seen before.  And Ayushmann’s latest, Dream Girl, hits the mark again. 

It’s a crazy story of a man who is good at impersonating a girl’s voice since he was a child. Financial stress at home forces him to take up a job at a hot-chat call centre, where he becomes the popular Pooja, phone-seducing and phone-loving a range of men (and a woman). Including an unexpected too-close-to-home family member. And that’s pretty much it really, as far as the story goes. And yes, of course, it all has to lead to some kind of climax, where all his customers end up crossing paths, ending with some grand (trying-too-hard) message of loneliness in the world of social media, blah-blah-blah.

But, the plot and the story is totally inconsequential. The experience of the film is in Ayushmann’s performance as this unique character, the predicament of his situation and the comedy that comes out of this. And most importantly, the magic of the film is in the dialogues throughout the entire film. It is a laugh-riot with one priceless line after another. 

(referring to a tattooed hipster youth) “Gujjar ke Justin Bieber”

(referring to an inexpensive camphor in a shop) “Har kapoor Ranbir nahin hota”

The director, Raj Shaandilyaa, who has written many comedy shows (most notably, Comedy Circus and Kapil Sharma), shows his mettle, in making this film a 2-hour joke-a-minute film. It’s like watching a long stand up with multiple characters, around a central idea.

Ayushmann once again shows that he is a versatile actor and can even pull off a comedy. It’s great to see Annu Kapoor as the father, who is also a gifted actor, with great comic timing. Manjot Singh (of Fukrey fame) as his best buddy is an able partner-in-crime. Vijay Raaz (Dubeyji) is a no-brainer actor to have in a comedy. And the rest of the cast is a good ensemble that adds to the comedy.

Also, once again, we see the stage for the movie being set in small-town India - this time Gokul, in Mathura. In fact, the choice of town is brilliant, because that itself, becomes a key ingredient in the comedy, contrasting what’s happening, against the character of this dharmik town. The innocence of this small town is what makes the hot chat harmlessly enjoyable and even permissible. Imagine a hot-chatting movie set in a big city. Would end up being more of a horror movie or a tragedy!

And finally, the movie, in an interesting way, challenges gender stereotypes. Not because that’s what it’s trying to do, because it’s not (remember, the message of loneliness and lack of family time in an age of social media). But because of Ayushmann and his portrayal of this guy who because of his ability, has been playing women characters all his life, including and importantly Sita and Draupadi and Radha in all the religious plays in Gokul. He comfortably portrays womanhood, yet never loses his own identity as a man. He easily becomes a woman for his customers but is never feminine. He is comfortable in his masculinity, and perhaps that’s why he has no problems becoming a girl. In fact, even as a man pretending to be a girl, hot chatting other men, he manages to show his strength of character as a man that fundamentally respects women. This is a difficult balance to get, and Ayushmann gets this flawlessly. And that’s probably his biggest achievement in this film, even more than his comedy.

Not a movie with a conscious agenda or thought or a plot, but entirely enjoyable, nevertheless for its crazy, unexpected, hilarity that starts from the first scene and takes you till the end. Much needed during times when everything is so serious and intense and patriotic and meaningful. Watch this film just to laugh. Nothing more. Nothing less.