BOLLYWOOD’S ROM-COM LANDSCAPE GETS A FRESH TWIST WITH SUNNY SANSKARI KI TULSI KUMARI, A FILM THAT BLENDS OLD-SCHOOL VALUES WITH GEN-Z FLAIR. DIRECTED BY SHASHANK KHAITAN, THIS DHARMA PRODUCTIONS VENTURE STARS VARUN DHAWAN AND JANHVI KAPOOR IN A VIBRANT LOVE STORY THAT’S EQUAL PARTS DRAMA, COMEDY, AND CULTURAL COMMENTARY. RELEASED THEATRICALLY IN OCTOBER 2025, THE FILM PROMISES A COLORFUL RIDE THROUGH ARRANGED MARRIAGES, MODERN DILEMMAS, AND FAMILY CHAOS. BUT DOES IT DELIVER BEYOND THE GLITTER?
PLOT SUMMARY
SET IN THE HEART OF JAIPUR, THE STORY FOLLOWS SUNNY, A WELL-MANNERED, IDEALISTIC BOY FROM A CONSERVATIVE MARWARI FAMILY, AND TULSI, A SPIRITED, INDEPENDENT WOMAN RAISED IN MUMBAI’S LIBERAL CIRCLES. THEIR FAMILIES ARRANGE A MATCH, BUT SPARKS FLY IN UNEXPECTED DIRECTIONS. WHILE SUNNY TRIES TO UPHOLD HIS “SANSKARI” IMAGE, TULSI CHALLENGES EVERY STEREOTYPE WITH WIT AND REBELLION. THE FILM EXPLORES THEIR JOURNEY FROM AWKWARD INTRODUCTIONS TO EMOTIONAL CONFRONTATIONS, CULMINATING IN A WEDDING THAT’S ANYTHING BUT TRADITIONAL.
CAST ✓ PERFORMANCES
- VARUN DHAWAN AS SUNNY DELIVERS A CHARMING PERFORMANCE, BALANCING INNOCENCE WITH COMIC TIMING.
- JANHVI KAPOOR SHINES AS TULSI, BRINGING SASS, VULNERABILITY, AND DEPTH TO HER ROLE.
- SUPPORTING CAST INCLUDES MANOJ PAHWA, SUPRIYA PATHAK, AND NEHA DHUPIA, ADDING FLAVOR TO THE FAMILY DYNAMICS.
- THE CHEMISTRY BETWEEN VARUN AND JANHVI IS ELECTRIC, ESPECIALLY IN DANCE AND EMOTIONAL SCENES.
DIRECTION ✓ SCREENPLAY
SHASHANK KHAITAN RETURNS TO HIS COMFORT ZONE OF FAMILY-CENTRIC NARRATIVES BUT ADDS A LAYER OF MODERNITY. THE SCREENPLAY IS TIGHT, WITH WELL-PACED SCENES AND CRISP DIALOGUES. THE FILM AVOIDS MELODRAMA AND INSTEAD LEANS INTO SITUATIONAL HUMOR AND EMOTIONAL REALISM.
CINEMATOGRAPHY ✓ VISUALS
SHOT ACROSS JAIPUR, UDAIPUR, AND MUMBAI, THE FILM IS A VISUAL TREAT. VIJAY KUMAR ARORA’S CINEMATOGRAPHY CAPTURES THE GRANDEUR OF RAJASTHANI HAVELIS AND THE VIBRANCY OF CITY LIFE. WEDDING SCENES ARE DRENCHED IN COLOR, AND DRONE SHOTS DURING THE “SANGEET” ADD CINEMATIC FLAIR.
MUSIC ✓ SOUND DESIGN
THE SOUNDTRACK, COMPOSED BY TANISHK BAGCHI AND AMIT TRIVEDI, IS A MIX OF PEPPY DANCE NUMBERS AND SOULFUL BALLADS. “SHAADI MEIN ZAROOR AANA” IS THE CHARTBUSTER, WHILE “TULSI KI TALAASH” ADDS EMOTIONAL DEPTH. BACKGROUND SCORE BY JOHN STEWART EDURI ENHANCES THE MOOD WITHOUT OVERPOWERING THE SCENES.
THEMES ✓ SYMBOLISM
THE FILM EXPLORES IDENTITY, COMPROMISE, AND GENERATIONAL CONFLICT. MIRRORS SYMBOLIZE SELF-REFLECTION, AND THE FILM CRITIQUES SOCIETAL EXPECTATIONS AROUND MARRIAGE AND GENDER ROLES. DIALOGUES LIKE “PYAAR MEIN SANSKAAR KA CERTIFICATE NAHI CHAHIYE” RESONATE DEEPLY.
CRITIQUE ✓ VERDICT
STRENGTHS: STRONG PERFORMANCES, ENGAGING SCREENPLAY, RICH VISUALS, AND BALANCED PORTRAYAL OF TRADITION VS MODERNITY.
WEAKNESSES: PREDICTABLE SECOND HALF, UNDERDEVELOPED SIDE CHARACTERS, AND A SLIGHTLY RUSHED CLIMAX.
VERDICT: A FEEL-GOOD ENTERTAINER WITH BRAINS, HEART, AND A DASH OF REBELLION.
RATING ✓ RECOMMENDATION
RATING√ ★★★★☆ {4√5}
RECOMMENDED FOR: FANS OF VARUN DHAWAN AND JANHVI KAPOOR, LOVERS OF FAMILY DRAMAS WITH A MODERN TWIST.
SKIP IF: YOU DISLIKE FORMULAIC ROM-COMS OR PREFER SLOW-BURN NARRATIVES.
