Kahan Shuru Kahan Khatam Review

Since parting ways with T-Series, Vinod Bhanushali, who was the right-hand man to audio mogul Gulshan Kumar, has been on a roll, churning out films one after the other. His first venture, Sirf Ek Banda Kaafi Hai, marked a pivotal moment in Manoj Bajpayee's acting career. Now he presents Kahan Shuru Kahan Khatam, a comedic twist on patriarchy, casting his daughter Dhvani as the lead. Before the conceptualization of the movie, Dhvani was already a sensation in the music world, known as the "Billion Baby" for being the youngest and fastest Indian pop star to hit 1 billion views on YouTube. This movie showcases her other talent: acting. And it seems that she shines in that too.

Krishna (Aashim Gulati), a habitual wedding crasher, lands up at the wedding of Meera (Dhvani Bhanushali). Meera flees her own ceremony as she is upset that her father did not ask her if she wanted to get married, and in a twist of fate ends up taking Krishna with her. The family believes that Krishna is the one who took her away, and they pursue the runaway duo. The two run from Haryana to Barsana, facing an array of challenges, including the formidable presence of her two gun-toting brothers. What follows is a comedy of errors involving Meera, Krishna, Krishna's father (Rakesh Bedi), his mother (Supriya Pilgaonkar), and Meera's brothers (Vikram Kochhar and Himansh Kohli).

There's a wedding celebration, there's a non-stop chase, and there are guns, drones and half a dozen quirky characters. Within this comedic yet chaotic backdrop, the film broaches serious themes: the disconnect between generations, the societal constraints that keep women veiled against their will, and the notion of whether they should view their husbands as deities. The writers also weave in a sub-plot regarding homosexual relationships, adding another layer of complexity to the storyline. So far so good. But while the premise of the movie is intriguing, the screenplay leaves much to be desired, lacking the sharp, memorable dialogue that keeps audiences on the edges of their seats.

The humour in the screenplay often falls flat, with jokes that are more clichéd than comedic. Aside from fleeting laughs during the introductions of a few key actors, the film struggles to deliver genuine comedy. And the transitions into musical numbers feel abrupt, leaving viewers wondering where the songs begin and end.

Sadly, the direction by Saurabh Dasgupta lacks vitality; not a single scene lingers in your memory after the credits roll. The movie also features a multitude of marginal stars, making it difficult to keep track.

As for the acting, aside from a few notable performances by seasoned actors like Ravi Chauhan and Rakesh Bedi, as well as debutante Dhvani, most fail to leave a strong impression. Rakesh Bedi's portrayal evokes memories of Mulayam Singh Yadav, and the dynamic between the elder son - accused of eloping with the bride - and the younger, devout son, whose every utterance seems to revolve around "Hare Krishna", adds an oddball charm to the mix. As mentioned earlier, Dhvani deserves recognition for her efforts.

Music-wise, the composers have done a fantastic job of recreating the title track Kahan Shuru Kahan Khatam from Shankar-JaiKishan's 1960's original, and Ek Ladki Bheegi Bhaagisi from Kishore Kumar's 1958 original. Both the tracks blend seamlessly with the movie. And Dhvani is expectedly the voice of all the songs that she is part of onscreen.

The production value of the movie is decent. Visually however the movie is not stunning at all.

Kahan Shuru Kahan Khatam attempts to tackle important social issues while delivering a comedic narrative but ultimately stumbles due to its weak screenplay and direction. It's a film that raises questions but struggles to provide the answers in a compelling manner. As the old saying goes, "You can't make an omelette without breaking eggs", but in this case, the broken eggs have left a rather messy kitchen. Save this one for OTT.