A Potpourri of Vestiges Review
By Murtaza Ali Khan
Hindi cinema is going through a very interesting phase of late wherein good writing is proving to be the real star of the show. It’s getting more and more difficult for stars to carry the films on their shoulders in the absence of good scripts. And the stars who are acknowledging the importance of good writing are certainly at a distinct advantage, especially when it comes to attaining consistency at the box-office. Now, as content is becoming more and more important in Hindi cinema, it is important to decipher an often misunderstood term: High Concept. It is important to understand that a film can be described as High Concept only if it can be sold from a pitch alone. In other words, such films are pitch driven as opposed to Non-High Concept films which have to be read first in entirety to be fully appreciated. In other words, they are execution driven.
Now, Hindi cinema has been witnessing a rise in the number of High Concept films in the recent times. Raj Mehta’s Good Newwz is the latest in the series of films with star-studded ensemble but driven by high-concept narratives. Interestingly, the film is co-written by Jyoti Kapoor who was previously associated with Badhaai Ho—another High Concept film to have come out of Hindi cinema in the recent times. But, the connection between the two films doesn’t just end here. Another major similarity is the fact that both the films revolve around pregnancy. And just like Badhaai Ho, Good Newwz in spite of its rather serious subject proves to be a very funny film. Clearly, Jyoti Kapoor seems quite capable of spinning some fascinating yet lighthearted yarns related to different aspects of pregnancy.
With Good Newwz, Akshay Kumar yet again proves why choices matter most for an actor working in today’s time. At the end of the day it takes courage to take even calculated risks and Akshay Kumar is up to it. Now, he has always enjoyed strong chemistry with Kareena Kapoor Khan and Good Newwz is no exception. The film can be dubbed as an adult comedy. While many of its scenes rely on double entendres, there are also several direct references to sexual terminologies. But most of it is well backed up by the script which greatly works to film’s advantage. Sadly, Diljit Dosanjh and Kiara Advani look pretty average in the film owing to their weakly written characters. One really wonders what got them to sign the film in the first place. However, Adil Hussain proves to be the real surprise package here. His comic timing is absolutely impeccable in the film. Tisca Chopra also manages to leave a mark in the limited screen time she gets. Overall, Good Newwz is a thoroughly entertaining film that doesn’t back down from offering a thought-provoking critique on modern-day couples and their aspirations.
Rating: 7.5/10
A version of this review was first published in The Sunday Guardian.
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