Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari Review: The Repetitive Glossy Romcom With No Pulse
Dharma Productions’ latest offering, Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari, directed by Shashank Khaitan, hit theatres on October 2. Starring Varun Dhawan, Janhvi Kapoor, Rohit Saraf, and Sanya Malhotra, the film promised a charming and sparkling romcom but has instead sparked mixed to negative reception from critics and audiences alike. Marketed as a family entertainer with all the Dharma gloss, it attempts to revive the banner’s signature genre – but struggles to overcome its cliches and touch a chord with its takers.
Old Wine in an Old Bottle
Shashank Khaitan’s Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari sets out to be Dharma’s quintessential youth-appealing romcom, but it ends up being an overlong Instagram reel stretched into 2 hours and 15 minutes. The romance is very generic from frame one, the comedy is unable to make you laugh except for very few portions, and the screenplay moves along like a pre-fixed wedding script – no surprises, no detours, and certainly no heart.
Style Over Substance
The film compensates for its lack of story by heavily relying on glamour. Designer costumes, brightly lit and coloured grand sets, and numerous shots of posh localities are visible, but none of it can hide the emptiness at the core. This serves as yet another reminder of Karan Johar’s ongoing fascination with showcasing his actors and the visual style of his films in a pompous and splendid manner. But this time, KJO has failed miserably, as his film only offers this outer scale and not any inner soul.
Performances That Struggle to Shine
Varun Dhawan repeats his usual chocolate-boyish charm routine, but without any real freshness. He is losing that on his part after so many of his appearances in almost the same type of character. Janhvi Kapoor looks stunning and attractive in every frame, but that can’t be said about her hammy and loud performance. Rohit Saraf is criminally underutilised in Bollywood, reduced to a glorified prop in most of the movies he has been a part of, and Sanya Malhotra – arguably the best in this movie among the underwhelming bunch of cast – feels misplaced in a role that is terribly underwritten.
Critics and Fans Say the Same Thing
If there’s one rare alignment between critics and audiences, it’s here: both camps agree that the film looks appealing but feels hollow. According to critics, it is all gloss and no soul, while fans are mentioning it as the romcom equivalent of an urban kid’s Instagram feed. Though a small section of die-hard romcom lovers is enjoying its escapist vibe, the larger consensus believes that the film is a hugely forgettable and disappointing attempt to bring back the old-school romcom charm of Bollywood.
Final Verdict
Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari is another pointless rom-com from Dharma that lacks both style and substance, and it can only appeal to a certain section of South Delhi & South Bombay elites. The chiffon saree, the glossy costume & makeup, and the stereotypical Dharma movie sets don’t add any layer in this very weak and superficial movie.
You can watch Sunny Sankskari Ki Tulsi Kumari at your nearest theatre.
Buzztag Rating: 1/5
