Suraj Pe Mangal Bhaari – Funny but lacks the Punch

Suraj pe Mangal Bhaari is one of the first films to be released in theatres post covid lockdown. Directed by Abhishek Sharma, with Diljit Dosanjh and Manoj Bajpai playing the title characters, the movie is about a wedding detective Mangal and a to be groom Suraj.

Plot

Plot of Suraj pe Mangal Bhaari seems entertaining on paper. Madhu Mangal Rane (Manoj Bajpai) is a wedding detective who lives with his mother (Supriya Pilgaonkar) and sister Tulasi (Fatima Sana Sheikh),  works with a motive of finding faults in the prospective grooms and getting their marriages cancelled. 

Based in 1995, the pre mobile phone era, Bajpai’s Mangal is a cunning detective, who while performing background checks in disguise, gets a case where he has to do a check on Suraj (Diljit Dosanjh). 

Suraj, who owns a dairy in Mumbai, is a nice guy and is upset as his marriage proposal is rejected as Mangal takes pictures of him drinking (which he did for the first time in his life).

Suraj decides to take revenge but he meets Tulasi when he goes to Mangal’s office and falls in love with her. Finally both of them decide to marry and when Mangal comes to know he somehow ensures that he again breaks the marriage and Suraj’s family ends up in jail.

Once out of jail, Suraj starts following Mangal hoping to get his secrets and finally get him into the jail to take revenge for his family’s insult.

The rest of the film casually deals with how he follows Mangal, does Suraj finally get united with Tulasi, and what is the secret that Mangal is hiding. 

The Hits

The plot of the film is a refreshing one, with a well done casting. Film has a cast of very good actors comprising Manoj and Seema Pahwa, Annu Kapoor, Vijay Raaz in addition to Diljit and Manoj Bajpai. Every actor fits in the role he/she is cast for. 

The film has some really good comic scenes which may not bring house down with laughter but will keep a continuous smile on viewers face

A little cameo from Vijay Raaz is genuinely funny and the best part of the film.

The Misses

Suraj pe Mangal Bhaari though looks very good on paper, the treatment is not that effective. Direction of the film lets the performances down and robs it of the potential it had.

With the actors of the stature of Bajpai, Annu Kapoor and charming Diljit Dosanjh the screenplay plays the spoilsport and dims the impact of what could have been an hilarious outing.

Performances

Suraj pe Mangal Bhaari has some very good performances for sure. Diljit Dosanjh is loveable as bubbly Suraj and he has held his forte against the stalwart Bajpai. Madhu Mangal Rane is wicked and funny at the same time and Bajpai plays that with full conviction.

Fatima Sana Sheikh as Tulasi, a middle class girl and an aspiring DJ, looks beautiful and acts well. Manoj Pahwa and Seema Pahwa as Suraj’s parents are likeable and effective. Annu Kapoor as Bajpai’s aide doesn’t get much to do and is underutilised.

Special mention to Vijay Raaz who is hilarious as Professor Chinmay Godbole. Manuj Sharma as Sukhi plays Suraj’s friend and is very good.

Supriya Pilgaonkar, Neha Pendse are good in their small roles and act effectively

FFC Take

Overall, Suraj Pe Mangal Bhaari is a decent film with earnest performances. Had it been handled a bit more effectively, with the cast it had, this had a potential to be a laugh riot.

The movie is good in parts and has some good sequences. Suraj pe Mangal Bhaari can be given a chance if you are a fan of Bajpai or Diljit, or light comedies.