Shaadi Ke Side Effects is one of those Bollywood movies that has a superb first half and unfortunately, falls prey to the curse of the second half as most of our movies do. From the promos you already know that Farhan Akhtar plays Sid, Trisha’s (played by Vidya Balan) husband. Evidently, the two are married and this is the story of the side effects of their ‘shaadi‘. Bollywood and popular culture in general, has often referred to ‘marriage’ as an evil that changes romantic relationships for the worse.
The movie starts off on a high note, keeping you guessing whether the two are actually married. Until you realise that Sid has developed a ‘strategy’ to make his marriage ‘fool-proof’, so much so that it appears like he is having an affair with his own wife.
Of course, everything changes when they have a child. Their lives centre on having the child, raising her, taking care of her, etc. Their lives change course and their priorities change. As I mentioned earlier, the first half is a lot of fun, punched with humour, has you in splits, Farhan and Vidya enamour you and leave you wanting more.
But just like their lives change in the second half, the mood, tone and texture of the film also changes. No real relationship is established with the child, neither on Sid’s part nor on the audience’s.
The guest appearances are noteworthy, from Purab Kohli to Ila Arun, they excel in their short screen time. It’s also a quirky take on the modern, urban equivalents of neighbours and babysitters.
Although Farhan and Vidya make an oddly, interesting couple, and their chemistry is spot-on, the film fails in other aspects. The music has not picked up outside of the film’s premise and doesn’t shine in the film’s situations either. The two songs that are hummable are Desi Romance and Vyah Kar Ke Pachtaya (A remix of the Pyaar Ke Side Effects track).
What really lulls the experience of watching the film is like falling from a height you had escalated to a short while ago. It wouldn’t be so disappointing, had our expectations not been raised in the first place.
Verdict/Side Effects:
Shaadi Ke Side Effects has some really good performances and humour. However, it could be perceived as being told from a woman’s point of view in the first half and going wayward in the second half. The climax, especially, is not in keeping with the film.