He subscribes wholeheartedly to the age-old notion of sons as family assets, daughters as liabilities, and dowries as down payments for marriage. It’s one of the most well-to-do in the city of Jhansi, but a submissive bunch, ruled with an iron fist by a patriarch (Rituraj Singh). The film makes its progressive intentions clear right away, as leading man Badrinath-aka Badri-Bhansal (Varun Dhawan) introduces us via voiceover to his household. Writer-director Shashank Khaitan takes down the flashiness a notch in exchange for an attempt at some well-meaning social commentary. The results are mixed, but make for a more thought-provoking experience than your run-of-the-mill Bollywood romcom. Fortunately, while “Badrinath Ki Dulhania” leaves plenty of room for eye candy, it also isn’t all style without substance. Opening across North America at the beginning of Holi weekend in India, a release from Dharma Productions-whose films are almost notorious at this point for their vibrant set pieces, high-voltage entertainment value, and penchant for glitzy romance- seems as apt a way as any to kick off a festival centered on celebration, colors, and love.

Badrinath ki dulhania movie