Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan trailer out: It’s family vs love in Ayushmann Khurrana’s new romcom 

A gay couple struggles for acceptance in Hitesh Kewalya’s small-town comedy
Ayushmann Khurrana
Ayushmann Khurrana

The trailer of Hitesh Kewalya’s Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan is out, and by the looks of it, the film appears to have stuck the landing. Same-sex relationships remain a touchy subject in the Hindi mainstream, so who better than Ayushmann Khurrana to open up a discussion about familial acceptance and queer romance. 

In the film, Ayushmann plays Kartik, a gay man who falls in love with Aman (Jeetendra Kumar). The story turns on both lovers trying to win the acceptance of Aman’s family. As Shankar Tripathi, Aman’s father, Gajrao Rao appears the most miffed: he fixes his son's marriage with a girl, shouts at his wife (Neena Gupta), and, at one point, beats up Ayushmann with a pole.

The lovers, however, strive on, waging a war with their families and trying to cure them of their homophobia. The trailer strikes a commendable balance between humour and emotion, while remaining fiercely vocal about queer issues in small towns. It ends with a kiss between Ayushmann and Jitendra — an image that, in retrospect, reverses the unfortunate gaze of Tarun Mansukhani’s Dostana (2008). 

Never too late for some genuine course correction, dear Bollywood. 

Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan is produced by Colour Yellow Productions and T-Series. The film is slated for release on February 21. 

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