Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari review: Varun Dhawan and Janhvi Kapoor sparkle in outfits and dance around a plot that never shows up

Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari story:

Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari is a vibrant romantic comedy set in Delhi. It follows Sunny Sanskari (Varun Dhawan), a young man who is utterly devastated when his beautiful and cultured girlfriend, Ananya (Sanya Malhotra), turns down his marriage proposal. Little did he know, Ananya would soon announce her engagement to the rich Vikram Singh (Rohit Saraf). Tulsi Kumari (Janhvi Kapoor) is Vikram's childhood sweetheart, and Sunny, who is hell-bent on winning Ananya back and ruining her wedding, forges an odd alliance with her. The two plot to make their exes jealous by pretending to have a passionate public romance.

Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari review:

The trailer revealed the plot, and possibly the entire story, of Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari. This gives us the option to either watch the extended version or anticipate something new. I watched the extended version, only to realise that I could have saved time by simply watching the trailer on mute. Given the title, you definitely get to know the endgame and the film stands by it.

Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari shows Varun Dhawan as a simpleton who is privileged to an extent, just like the films that he is a part of in this genre, specifically. However, he remains a simpleton who is soft-hearted but constantly wears rose-tinted sunglasses. Here too, Sunny Sanskari becomes ready to propose to his girlfriend, Ananya, just as she comes back from Italy, straight from the airport. All she says is this was a situationship. Once again, Dhawan gets into a character where he is a victim, as no girl stays with him at that moment and the right time eventually comes when he shows only his positive side. To be honest, you don't feel that bad for him when he gets rejected.

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On the other hand, you empathise with Janhvi Kapoor's character, Tulsi Kumari, who gets rejected by the family of her 12-year-old partner, Vikram, and he doesn't even fight for her. The film should have concluded with Sunny and Tulsi meeting and sharing their sorrows, ultimately accepting their fate and understanding that Vikram and Ananya will never be theirs.

Unfortunately, the story doesn't end there, as they decide to drastically alter their original appearances, as if their look was the reason they were rejected. This is just the beginning of them showing how extremely they can behave, yet still wrongly choose their path.

Shashank Khaitan has returned in this direction, three years after Govinda Naam Mera, which also had its obnoxious share of problems. Now, the filmmaker continues his streak despite genuinely running out of original ideas, even with a cast of intriguing actors coming together in a quadrangle.

Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari does have an intriguing storyline involving two or more love stories among four people, but it becomes so predictable that some messiness would have been a slight saving grace for the film.

Within half an hour of the film, you've got your first song, and since then, there's been no stopping! At a certain juncture, the film appears to consist solely of songs, with interspersed scenes serving as fillers.

Five days of wedding festivities and the first night itself is Sangeet night. Then we have two more dance sequences, which make me wonder what these ceremonies even are. It seems like the film is heavily inspired by the recent Ambani wedding, which made headlines for months because the wedding festivities were a week long.

The forced humour, particularly the attempts to explore character development during lighter moments, reveals the screenplay's lack of strength. The presence of a wedding planner, portrayed by Maniesh Paul, who meddles in every situation will make you laugh at the film itself, not at the jokes, but at how consistently foolishness is presented as entertainment.

Meanwhile, while the entire film revolves around Sunny and Tulsi's sabotage of a wedding, Vikram and Ananya receive minimal attention. The latter duo mostly gets reaction shots and only in the third act do they get to open their mouths fully and deliver monologue-ish dialogue as redemption. Despite having four characters, including Saraf and Malhotra, who could have received character development, the film refuses to focus on them.

Both actors deliver captivating performances, but they rarely have a solo moment to leave an impressive mark. In contrast, Dhawan and Kapoor receive the most screentime, and many of their interactions seem cringeworthy. It seems like they are trying hard to convincingly portray emotions or adopt villainous behaviours through their sabotage methods. However, nothing improves the situation, neither the jokes that rarely land nor the chemistry that feels unnatural.

The film has a vibrant setup with a plush hotel and many colours, given that it revolves around wedding festivities. Also, the outfits given them are eye-catching and the actors look their best, too. But that's all that Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari offers. I wish there were better conflicts and, if breezy, a better execution for it to be a festive watch.

Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari verdict:

Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari dresses up as a romantic comedy but forgets to bring the romance or the comedy along. The story runs in circles like a wedding baraat that lost its GPS, and the trailer already gives away more than the film manages to add. With songs popping up like uninvited guests and characters pretending harder than they feel, the plot barely moves beyond costume changes. Despite a colourful setting and a capable cast, the film proves that style without substance is like confetti in the wind.

FAQs:

Q: Who are the main actors in Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari?

A: The main cast includes Varun Dhawan as Sunny Sanskari and Janhvi Kapoor as Tulsi Kumari. The supporting cast, who are central to the plot, features Sanya Malhotra as Ananya and Rohit Saraf as Vikram Singh.

Q: Who is the director of Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari?

A: The film is written and directed by Shashank Khaitan, who previously directed Varun Dhawan in the hit romantic comedies Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania and Badrinath Ki Dulhania, and Janhvi Kapoor in Dhadak.

Q: What is the runtime of Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari?

A: The certified runtime of the film is approximately 2 hours and 15 minutes (135.45 minutes).