A bold concept treated well, with oodles of laugh-out-loud moments would ensure you never feel bored while watching Vicky Donor.
Plot: It’s the story of Vicky Arora, a lazy, unemployed charming brat of the Lajpat Nagar-1V colony of South Delhi who lives with his widowed mother and grandmother. He comes across an infertility doctor who has his clinic set up in Daryaganj, Old Delhi and who’s been keeping a check on Vicky Arora’s activities. He learns through reliable sources that Vicky’s great-grandfather had 19 children. Presuming Vicky to have the same ’fertility traits as his grandfather, Dr. Kapoor sets out to convince Vicky Arora to donate sperm, and lures him with attractive amounts of money. The story then follows how Vicky’s life changes for the better and then for the worse as a sperm donor with high Indian and overseas demand.
Analysis: It’s still taboo to discuss this sensitive subject in our nation. First of all, director Shoojit Sircar, who made a charming debut with Yahaan, deserves kudos for daring to take on this subject and show it on screen. Through Annu Kapoor’s character, he also throws light on the subject and educates the audience, which is good to watch, even for entertainment purposes.
Secondly, the comic portions of the film work big time without the director resorting to conventional slapstick or crude humour. Even with a subject as daring as this, the dialogue never gets vulgar, though there are instances where the constant stress on ’sperm’ becomes tiring after a point. Anther highpoint is the clash between the Punjabi and Bengali families of the lead actors, which is sheer fun to watch.
Thirdly, the performances are top-notch, especially by Aayushman who lights up the screen with his effortless screen presence and easy charm. He makes a confident debut and utters his dialogues with panache, justifying the efforts of the dialogue-writers. The interactions between his mother and ’modern’ grandmother are also extremely funny and the two actresses deserve special credit for making their characters look so believable and relatable.
If the film falters, it is when it tries a tad too hard in its ’serious portions’. Being a little long-drawn, Sircar somehow fumbles in the post-interval portions, but somehow manages to bring an aura of authenticity to the proceedings. You still don’t exactly mind these portions, as they provide a welcome change from the slight monotony of the first half portions.
You leave the theatre with a smile, having watched not only an entertaining film but one that is not only bold in its approach but something that’s uniquely entertaining and that comes as a breath of fresh air. Recommended for those who’re tired of a cliche-ridden Bollywood.
Have a fun filled weekend with Vicky Donor.