'Tumhari Sulu' Review: Sulu's indomitable spirit is infectious

Tumhari Sulu (Comedy/Drama)
Cast: Vidya Balan, Manav Kaul, Neha Dhupia
Direction: Suresh Triveni
Duration: 2 hours 20 minutes
Language: Hindi (U)

Story: Sulochana Dubey (Vidya) is a happy, middle-class homemaker from suburban Mumbai who is determined to succeed in whatever she does, despite the odds being stacked against her.

Review: Vidya Balan’s indomitable spirit is infectious. And that is what makes Tumhari Sulu worth a watch. Having said that, the film is almost 20 minutes too long and that kind of makes you slightly restless.

The plot revolves around a nuclear family — Sulu, her manager-in-a-mill husband, Ashok (Manav) and their 11-year-old son, Pranav. The three are happy and engrossed in their own world and face their everyday challenges practically, never getting over-confrontational with each other or with situations that most of us can empathise with. For example, an out-of-order TV, Pranav’s preteen shenanigans in school, Sulu’s overbearing family that constantly drops by for chai, keep putting dampeners in the works. Yet, Sulu knows the magical formula to remain spirited and charged all the time. She is a regular participant and mostly a winner in society singing competitions and radio-station challenges. She talks to the pigeon on her window sill and can think of pranks to play on the neighbourhood baniya. A chance visit to a radio station event has her applying for the job of a radio jockey and actually bagging it. In other words, Sulu is the determined sort. If she sets her heart on something, she can do it.

Of course, when she bags her own radio show as the sexy bhabhi RJ, she has to face several challenges with her husband, her kid, and her conservative sisters, who have an opinion on everything under the sun. But Sulu’s no pushover. She stands her ground and comes up aces. And, this is exactly what is appealing about the film. Vidya, who fills and dominates almost every frame, is top-notch. Manav is supremely talented and subtle. Neha Dhupia, who plays Maria Sood, the owner of the radio station, is effervescent. As one said at the start, had the length of this film been slightly trimmed, it would’ve made it twice as appealing. Go for this one — if you want to know the recipe for what makes ordinary people, extraordinary.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5