Vicky Donor Review

Just when you think that you've had enough of Karan Johar-ish love stories and self-proclaimed bold movies from the Bhatt camp, along comes a film that restores your faith in Bollywood. Just when you start doubting the credibility and creativity of Indian directors, along comes a storyteller who dares to explore the unexplored.

Shoojit Sircar's Vicky Donor is a love story minus the larger-than-life sets and boring-to-death Karva Chauth celebrations; and a bold movie without a bare-backed babe spitting in-your-face dialogues. But most of all, it is a film that stimulates you between the ears.

The movie is about Vicky Arora (Ayushmann Khurrana), a Delhi boy who loves the good things in life. The fact that he is 25 and jobless adds to his characterization. Dr. Baldev Chadda (Annu Kapoor), a fertility specialist, finds his Alexander in Vicky, and after much cajoling and coaxing, convinces Vicky to become a sperm donor.

All is well, till our donor falls for a bank employee, Asima Roy (Yami Gautam). Now, Dr. Baldev can no longer bank on Vicky for the his sperm bank. Also reality hits the Bong wife, when she comes to know about her husband's actual "handicraft" trade.

Ayushmaan, playing a typical Punjabi boy, delivers an effortless performance. Yami is not just a pretty face, but can also act. Annu Kapoor as a pestering love-him-one-minute-hate-him-the-other doctor is convincing. However, it's the supporting cast members who deserve a pat on their backs, for their terrific histrionics. From Vicky's nagging widowed mom to Ashmi's Bong-centric and north-Indian-hating father, they are all talented actors.

Director Sircar has hit the Indian audience below the belt. Vicky Donor is about the Indian mind-set that refuses to even register anything remotely related to sex. The movie leaves us with several questions. Why are we obsessed about the perfect child when it's our imperfections that make us human beings? In our race to produce the pure Aryan race, are we forgetting to indulge in the amazing 4-letter act called love? Has our society not grown up yet to face the reality of infertility? Is donating sperm a "disgusting" act, unlike donating blood?

Vicky Donor makes you find your own answers, with just a dialogue or two, and subtle scenes, and doesn't resort to lengthy social messages. For example, in the scene in which Vicky's mother is upset with him for bringing shame to the Arora khandaan, it is his grandmother who puts it very simply that all she knows is that her grandson has made unfortunate couples happy. When Ashima leaves Vicky, her father asks her what she is angry about - is it that her husband's sperm-donation, or is it because he did not tell her about it, or is it her own insecurity of not being able to conceive?

The story, screenplay and dialogues by Juhi Chaturvedi are the soul of the movie. Chaturvedi has captured the sense and sensibilities of Delhiwallahs quite well.

The music remains in the background, and does not overpower the script. Paani Da Rang is perfect for a long Sunday night drive. John Abraham's item song, Rum & Whiskey, when the credits roll in is quite the cherry on the cake.

The only hitch with Vicky Donor is its slow pace. Dr. Baldev's long convincing act leaves both Vicky and the audience irritated. The director could have also avoided the never-ending courtship between Vicky and Ashima.

But flaws aside, Vicky Donor comes as a refreshing treat this summer.