Making a 'hatke' movie with a strong and important subject like sex education should always be appreciated. But the attempt goes to waste when it is made with a very limited dose of entertainment. The same happened with Sonakshi Sinha starrer Khandaani Shafakhana.
STORYLINE
Baby Bedi (Sonakshi Sinha), a medical representative by profession, lives a troublesome life due to financial crunches amidst the responsibility of running a family comprising of her mother (Nandita Babbar) and a younger brother (Varun Sharma).
While Baby's chachaji (Rajiv Gupta) eyes her father's house in exchange for a loan they took from him, Baby tries hard to pay off the debt but fails. When all hopes seem to be shattered, fortune strikes Baby as her mamaji (Kulbhushan Kharbanda), a sexologist who used to run Khandaani Shafakhana (sex clinic), dies and in his will gives away his property and clinic to Baby.
However, on one big condition – Baby has to serve at the clinic for six months and finish the course of medicine for all his patients.
But in a conservative society, no one approves the idea of a girl serving at a fertility clinic. However, considering the financial difficulties in her family, Baby secretly starts working at the clinic, treating all the patients with the medicine kept in stock by her mamaji. But none of these good deeds help her as these patients are too poor to pay her fees.
Nonetheless, things take a drastic twist when a big-time celebrity, Gabru Ghaatak (Badshah), knocks on her clinic's door. He turns out to be mamaji's patient as well. With such a big personality becoming her patient, Baby hopes to make some good money treating him. However, things turn messier and Baby faces a lot of struggle.
PERFORMANCES
Sonakshi plays the character of an emotional but modern woman quite well. Varun Sharma as a stupid but good-hearted brother is funny at times. Other supporting cast, including Annu Kapoor, Priyanshu Jora, Badshah, Kulbhushan, Rajiv and Nandita did a decent job. The film did not demand a powerful performance from any of the characters.
POSITIVES
Khandaani Shafakhana has a significant and interesting subject. Bollywood has not made many movies related to sex education. The film does not have too many songs to distract the plot.
NEGATIVES
Khandaani Shafakhana hardly has any memorable comic moment. Despite being a comedy-drama, the film lacks humour that one expects from such a genre. Khandaani Shafakhana lacks the entertainment quotient.
VERDICT
Khandaani Shafakhana can be a one-time watch for the relevant subject line, but that's about it. If you want entertainment as well, you can give it a miss.
