A very relevant first half followed by some unbelievable turn of events in the second half. This is what turns out to be the case with Shaadi Ke Side Effects. Thankfully there are performances of Farhan Akhtar and Vidya Balan that keep the ball rolling.
There are several sweet and “hey, this is what you do to understand your spouse well” moments that Saket Chowdhary brings in the first 30 minutes of the film that set the stage for the rest of the film.
The role of being a perfect couple, the minor adjustments being made to avoid any arguments and the build up towards a baby coming into the lives of the protagonists is done well. In fact a particular sequence with Farhan acting up with a bloated tummy is a riot.
(Above): Farhan Akhtar and Vidya Balan in “Shaadi Ke Side Effects.”
You expect that with baby coming into the lives of the protagonists, the film’s narrative may slow down a little. Thankfully that isn’t really the case as the smiles are on.
Several “oh yes, this indeed happens” moments strike you as the first-time parents go about raising their child while drifting apart subconsciously.
This is where the plot takes a turn.
Suddenly, the film is being told mainly from Farhan’s point of view and somehow all the advice that comes his way is not just wrong but also unbelievable.
(Above): Farhan Akhtar and Vidya Balan in “Shaadi Ke Side Effects.”
(Spoilers ahead) His brother-in-law (Ram Kapoor) wants him to take a time off from family, the whole PG affair is way too far fetched, the Purab Kohli track comes and goes at its whim, the Vir Das angle comes out of nowhere while Ila Arun’s sub-plot stops being engaging after a while. It doesn’t quite stop there as a double twist in the tale around a pregnancy ends up meandering too.
Thankfully, what still keeps it all tied down to some extent are performances by Farhan and Vidya.
(Above): Vidya Balan and Farhan Akhtar in “Shaadi Ke Side Effects.”
Yet again, Farhan is natural to the core and is believable in the face of unbelievable situations.
On the other hand, Vidya is real and is an absolute delight when she comes on the screen. However it must be admitted that most of the jokes are courtesy the first half of the film.
This is the reason why we feel that if only the narrative could have been consistent through the 150 minute play of the film, this shaadi could well be sans any “side effects.”
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