As is the trend these days, Varun and Anushka shed their trendy threads to go completely desi in Dum Laga Ke Haisha fame Sharat Katariya's new film, Sui Dhaaga Made in India. A lovely, intimate tracking shot introduces us to the little household of Mauji (Varun Dhawan) and Mamta (Anushka Sharma), the leads of YRF's new film. This scene not only gives us a peek into their family life and their status quo, but also an insight into their characters. With the help of Mauji's narration (thankfully, sparsely used), we find out that he and Mamta are recently married, but they behave more like room-mates under a roof. While Mamta is a dutiful daughter-in-law, she doesn't get the time to know her husband and even spend private time with him. We also realise that the naive Mauji is looked down upon by his own father (Raghubir Yadav). That one intro scene tells us a lot about its main characters. Now onto the story.

Mauji works in a sewing machine dealer shop for a paltry salary, where his employer's son mistreats him but he takes it in his stride. When Mamta herself sees how shamefully her husband is treated during a wedding, she reminds her husband that his dignity is bigger than anything else, even money. Instigated by her words, Mauji quits his job (but not before giving his employer a taste of his own medicine) and plans to start his own tailoring business.

The first big challenge comes when Mauji's mother gets hospitalised and her treatment makes a mincemeat of their family's savings. This, however, also gives Mauji and Mamta to showcase their dress-making skills when they make a homemade apron for the mother and getting their first orders. As they trudge about making big with their ambitions and pushing aside the roadblocks, Mauji and Mamta discover a longing, respect, understanding, and ultimately love, in their relationship.

Sui Dhaaga - Made in India is a movie that doesn't break new barriers when it comes to story-telling. You know how the movie will end from the trailer itself, and Sui Dhaaga doesn't even pretend to be anything different. We have already seen a couple of films in Bollywood itself about an underdog making big tearing down old-mindset values and patriarchy. Like this year's Pad Man. That said, sometimes, even an oft-told story can still win your hearts if told with honesty, backed by some dedicated performances. Again like Pad Man.

Sui Dhaaga is just that - a mellow film told in an audience-pleasing manner with some fine performances from the lead pair. The director does a good job of establishing his characters and their quaint little world, while slowly, but steadily making their ambitions grow large-size in that world. Sui Dhaaga Celeb Review: Varun Dhawan and Anushka Sharma Get All The Praise For Their Heart-Warming Performance.

While the movie shies away from establishing the newly-married dynamics of Mauji and Mamta most of the time, it gives their relationship time to breathe through their single-minded initiative. If Mauji is the scissor in their relationship, the worldly-wise Mamta is the hand that steers the scissor in the right pattern. Their almost-platonic relationship could have had more intimacy, but we will let that be. I do wish, though, that there would have been a little more focus on Mamta's embroidery skills rather than make it as a side-note. Also, why was the need to make her cry so much when you are also trying to establish her as more mentally strong and wiser among the couple?

Those nitpickings aside, I was genuinely invested in their 'Made in India' challenges. Sharat Katariya does a fine job in the first half of establishing their predicament and challenges. Mauji's household affairs are very believable and well-narrated with the right mix of humour and emotions. Couldn't help but smile when Mauji's mother, after suffering from a fall, keeps insisting that she can get alright just by doing more household chores. Or when Mauji's friend keeps on recommending alternative medicines for her. Mauji's relationship with his father is natural, though I wish I could say the same about some other dynamics. Virat Kohli's Review of Anushka Sharm's Performance in Sui Dhaaga is What Makes Him The Best Husband!

The film's best scene is when Mauji and Mamta cycle kilometres to get a free sewing machine that comes before the interval point. It is extremely heart-warming, well-directed and even thrilling.

Post-interval, as with many other films these days, things take a dip. The subplot involving a designer firm where Mauji and Mamta take employment doesn't register much of an impact, thanks to the cliched way the scenes are handled and a couple of one-dimensional characters. Mamta's decision to participate in the Fashion show grabs your attention, and the scenes that show their preparations are interesting, if you can ignore the plentiful cinematic liberties taken and sudden unexplained behavioural changes of some supporting characters. As a fan of Malayalam movies, I could draw some influences from films like How Old Are You? (using neighbourhood people in their initiative) and 1983 (Mauji's blow-hot-blow-cold relationship with his father). The LFW-inspired finale seems to have taken a page out of the British film Full Monty, only much much milder and family-friendly. The treatment is also something that YRF has already used in a couple of their own endeavours. Aaja Nachle, anyone?

Nevertheless, the movie doesn't let go off its feel-good nature, and I could see the audience sitting near me cheering for our underdog heroes. Sui Dhaaga also has a good message in its heart - the 'Make In India' initiative', even if it feels more like an afterthought. Thankfully, even though it aligns itself to Government's much-talked-about campaign, Sui Dhaaga doesn't pander itself to the Big Brother, like a certain Akshay Kumar movie did last year.

The music is okay, though I have a soft spot for Chaav Laga. An always-dependable Anil Mehta captures the small-town niceties with his camera brilliantly, not to mention the first scene I talked about in the opening para.

Watch the trailer of Sui Dhaaga here -

On a separate note, I am glad that Bollywood is finally giving urbane take a break and opening up to tell stories based in small towns and villages. We can thank YRF's own Sultan and Aamir Khan's Dangal for showing it's the content that matters, not the polished environs.

The Performances

Varun Dhawan and Anushka Sharma are both very likeable as the leads. Although Sui Dhaaga doesn't focus too much on establishing their chemistry, they look believable as a husband and wife. This is another winning, subversive performance from Varun Dhawan after this year's October. I am thankful that Anushka is choosing to do more performance-oriented roles; she has so much potential left to be tapped. Her angst on seeing her husband sideling her during a fight and her tearful smile on seeing Mauji during a sewing test feel so genuine.

It isn't that their performances are perfect, but they will definitely make you root for them. I also have nothing less than praise for Raghubir Yadav who can never go wrong with these roles.

Yay!

- The lead cast

- The feel-good narrative

- Engaging moments

Nay!

- Cliched writing in the second half

- Takes a bit too many cinematic liberties

- The second half could have been shorter

Final Thoughts

 

Although I cannot say 'Sab Badhiya Hai' about the movie, but Sui Dhaaga Made In India is a simple film told in a very engaging manner. Varun Dhawan and Anushka Sharma shine throughout the film with their endearing acts, which should further establish their credentials as dependable performers.

Rating:3out of 5

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 28, 2018 02:14 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).