'Doctor G' review: Even Ayushmann can't salvage this scattershot dramedy
What's the story
Ayushmann Khurrana-Rakul Preet Singh-Shefali Shah starrer Doctor G was released theatrically on Friday. It marked the feature film directorial debut of Anubhuti Kashyap. Doctor G tries to encash upon Khurrana's "messiah" image and embellishes the long list of his "movies with a message." However, its noble intentions fail to translate on screen, eventually reducing Doctor G to a hodgepodge, forgettable affair. Here's our review.
Plot
Trailer had already given away the entire story
The film follows Uday Gupta, an MBBS doctor who wants to study orthopedics, but due to unavoidable circumstances, is forced into gynecology instead. Shefali Shah and Singh play his professor and close friend at the college, respectively. The way Gupta grapples with the challenges that prick his path while trying to navigate a "world" dominated by women forms the rest of the story.
Letdown #1
Cringe, juvenile humor robs the film of much-needed gravitas
For a comedy film, laughs in Doctor G are few and far between, and most of the jokes, when they aren't busy being cringe, fall flat on their face. The first half is enveloped by pranks that overstay their welcome; the scenes are rife with juvenile, crass humor. And of course, there's constant background music acting as a cue lest you forget to laugh.
Letdown #2
'Doctor G' wants to fight all societal menaces at once
The muddled, almost disoriented screenplay regularly opts for unexpected twists and doesn't offer much reasoning behind the narrative turns. The love story is clearly rushed, forced, and only exists to tick off the mandatory Bollywood checklist. Since the movie tries to fit into different genres and address several menaces together, it's difficult to immerse ourselves in its world or connect with the slapdash story.
Personal
Screenplay creaks under the weight of juxtaposition of multiple messages, stories
Some films suffer due to the lack of backstories, Doctor G, on the other hand, suffers from their unnecessary abundance. Everyone has their own back story, but instead of bolstering or humanizing their characters, they make the film even more clogged, mazed, and choked.
What works?
Film tries to de-stigmatize an issue swept under the rug
To give credit where it's due, Doctor G champions women's sexual health and emphasizes its de-stigmatization, especially when it touches upon rural characters. It finally garners some much-needed momentum, pace, and emotional depth in the second half and works better due to the presence of a proper conflict and resolution. There are also some enjoyable meta-references sprinkled throughout that made me smile.
Performances
Cast of 'Doctor G' doesn't give reasons to complain
In a film overtly dependent on his caliber, Khurrana doesn't disappoint. Getting into the characters' skin has always been his USP, and here, too, he gets the Bhopali accent right. Shah is effective as the no-nonsense teacher who doesn't mince her words. Special mention to Sheeba Chaddha who lends an exuberant flavor to the film and acts as a voice for gender equality.
Verdict
Might as well be the weakest Khurrana film, can pass
Despite having its heart in the right place, Doctor G fails to deliver the message it so confidently set out to, and is all over the place. Some scenes seem like a hark back to Munnabhai MBBS, but, alas, are devoid of the effortless charm that defined Rajkumar Hirani's classic. A film that lacks sparkle even in its brightest moments, Doctor G gets 2/5.