Sukhee Movie Review
Sukhee, written by Sonal Joshi, Radhika Anand, Paulomi Datta and Rupinder Inderjit can be said to be the story of every middle class woman. It has shades of the hit Malayalam film The Great Indian Kitchen (2021), which focussed a harsh light on the way housewives are treated in our society. The themes are more or less the same, but the treatment is totally different. The Malayalam film focussed on the protagonist's disenchantment with the institution of marriage and her rebellion against it. She chooses to leave her family and never go back. Here, while Sukhee rebels, she still comes back to be with her husband and daughter. Also, unlike the Malayalam film, where the protagonist becomes financially independent, that’s not the case here. You see her taking part in a horse race and riding a bike. But these are superficial things and don’t really lead up to financial independence.
The film reiterates the rhetoric surrounding coming-of-age films – women should have the right over their sexuality, reproduction, their body shape and lifestyle. Women in the upper echelons may have gained that freedom but there are millions out there who are still treated as being second class citizens. That’s the point brought out by the film. Another moot point is that women will only gain freedom if they support one another. The four friends are shown supporting each other through emotional turmoil without getting judgemental and that’s the most important aspect of the film.
Amit Sadh impresses in his extended cameo as the Prince Charming who is willing to wait, Pavleen Gujral and Dilnaz Irani too have their moment in the sun but the real surprise is Kusha Kapila, whose easy breezy acting brings a whiff of fresh air to the film. Sukhee rests squarely on Shilpa Shetty’s able shoulders. She’s excelled in a role which presents her in a deglamorized avatar in most parts. She’s put her heart and soul in it and elevates the film by her presence.
Watch Sukhee for the inspired acting by the ensemble cast, as also for the message it conveys.
Trailer : Sukhee
Renuka Vyavahare, September 22, 2023, 2:13 PM IST
Story: Sukhpreet Kalra aka Sukhee (Shilpa Shetty Kundra), a devoted middle class Punjabi housewife in her 40’s faces existential crisis. A school reunion invitation wakes her from her boredom.
Review: Sukhee reminisces about her glorious past, carefree life in Delhi as a teenager when she was loved for who she was as a woman as opposed to being needed solely to serve others and fulfill her duties as a mother and wife.
Finally, there’s a desi film on female friendship and desire that isn’t about sex. Director Sonal Joshi deserves applause just for this. Her story hits home as it mirrors the inner turmoil of almost every middle-class housewife, who marries early and forfeits her dreams for love.
Years of putting everyone else’s needs before your own doesn’t earn you respect. You are required, yes, but are you valued? Traditionally, women are taught to be happy within this realm of self-sacrifice as that makes for an ideal bahu, bhabhi or beti. Sukhee makes you look inwards as she decides to break free from the shackles of her domestic life and revisit her past, much against the wishes of her daughter and husband, who are quick to label her as selfish.
There’s a lot to like in this dramedy that observes a woman reclaiming her self-worth. Some moments are heart-warming, especially the ones between Sukhee and her bed-ridden father-in-law (also Sukhee), who urges her to ‘live her life’. Sukhee's aching regret about being left behind when compared to her working women besties who she considers to be achievers, is relatable. It stems from society's perception of housewives. Saara din ghar pay karti kya hai? Unaccounted work and wasted potential, the director touches upon these issues well. A slight resemblance to ‘English Vinglish’ is also evident. The school reunion scene is hilarious where the girl gang of class 97’ dolls up only to see their unattractive ageing classmates and ghazals being played for the party considering the target audience.
Sukhee feels promising until things get slapstick and off track. Expect pointless toilet humour and jokes that lack punch. The narrative shifts gear and loses your attention once the action moves to Delhi. Scenes and dialogues run in circles, and everyone keeps repeating things they have already said. “Sukhee naam wale kabhi dukhi nahi hotay” sounds good when you hear it once. Overkill is tiring. The girl gang track would’ve worked if other characters weren’t just Sukhee cheerleaders but individuals in their own right. None of the other girls (Kusha Kapila, Dilnaz Irani, Pavleen Gujral) have much to do, though all have a decent screen presence. Despite roping in a good actor, Amit Sadh love track is the film’s weakest portion. It does not work at all and only drags the film endlessly. The film could’ve easily been 20 minutes shorter to work better.
Shilpa Shetty Kundra is perfect for this part and reminds you why she deserved roles like Life in a Metro, Phir Milenge more. Despite her sultry screen avatar, she slips into the psyche of a middle-class housewife effortlessly. She even gets a Baazigar ‘bangs’ makeover to show her younger self. The 90’s outfits pay an ode to Govinda well but the de-ageing feels a bit excessive. Chaitannya Choudhry as the husband and Maahi Jain as the daughter are effective in portraying their flawed characters.
Sukhee has a heartfelt premise but it lacks pace, struggles to be engaging and gets too preachy to be perfect towards the end.
