Sunny Sanskari ki Tulsi kumari, Trailer launch: Two breakups, two weddings, and Exs v/s Exs

Sunny Sanskari ki Tulsi kumari, Trailer launch: Two breakups, two weddings, and Exs v/s Exs

They were all there, but for two: Writer-director Shashank Khaitan, actors Varun Dhawan, Jahnvi Kapoor, Rohit Saraf, Manish Paul, and producer Apoorva Mehta. The two, who were missed, were producer Karan Johar and actress Sanya Malhotra. The former’s absence was attributed to his decision not to attend events related to his films, because he feels that when he is present, all attention is focussed on him, and the other members of his team are not given due attention. The reason for Sanya’s absence was not revealed, although there must have compelling reasons why she did not come. However, in an ingenious act of inspiration, the organisers of the trailer launch prepared a life-size cut-out of Sanya, in a standing pose, that was placed on stage, to represent her. This was the launch of Johar’s Dharma Productions’ latest offering, Sunny Sanskari ki Tulsi kumari, at PVR Lido, Juhu, Mumbai, on 15 September.

It’s a long, quaint title. But there have been longer and quainter titles, some of them made by members of this unit itself. “There is no great imagination behind the title,” said Khaitan. “A title should reflect the content of the film and be catchy at the same time. Our title represents exactly those considerations. Rahul Nanda, our publicity designer, suggested it, and we felt it went well with the film.” Kolkata-born and Nashik raised, Khaitan’s 2014 debut film was called Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania, a Dharma production, followed by the 2017 release, Badrinath Ki Dulhania, Dharma again. Then, in 2023, he wrote Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani, which Karan Johar directed for his own banner. All three had long titles, but the current one is quaint as well.

Going by the titles and the themes of these films, we can see that Khaitan has a penchant for making films that have weddings, romance and romantic comedy as their centre-pieces. And Karan Johar, who thinks that films made by Rajshri Productions, about large families and weddings, are his most cherished movies, has found a man who can now be called a specialist in that realm, albeit imparting his trade-mark humorous touch. Their association is now in its 11th year, and Khaitan’s name occurs in Sunny Sanskari as one of the producers as well.

Varun Dhawan, always a crowd favourite, threw the floor open to questions from the media, in a free for all, something that is, sometimes, not as free and not for all, as it should be. He agreed to answer personal questions too. One of them related to his marriage. Asked how did he propose to Natasha Dalal four years ago, he revealed that it happened at a swimming pool. “We were both in the pool. I wanted to play a favourite English song to her and then propose to her. But when I surfaced, after taking a dip, Natasha had already left the pool. Anyway, I then went up to her, got down on one knee, and proposed, in the traditional way. And she said 'yes'!” When he was asked whether he recalled doing anything sanskari (traditional, based on religion and ethics), he promptly came-up with, “The one thing I recall is being afraid to take a bath when I was very young. So, my mother told me to chant a religious line, and then I felt easy.”

Somebody asked Jahnvi about her marriage plans, and she said that she was not thinking about it at present. So, there was a follow-up question, “What are the traits that would attract you to a prospective partner?” Jahnvi listed three, “He must be sanskari, he must have a keen sense of humour and he must have a huge appetite.” Huge appetite? Maybe she is a good cook. One of the questions related to stars coming for shooting with multiple vanity vans and a large entourage, of up to 9 persons. This would inflate the budget of the movie. But the main actors present revealed that they had very small entourages, of 3-4 persons, and that they were duly concerned about the producers’ investments. Manish was accused, in jest, of having the largest entourage, of 8 persons. He took no umbrage, but continued in the jocular vein, “Yes, I had the largest entourage, of 8 persons. I used walk ahead, and behind me would be the ‘entourage’, consisting of 8 assistant directors, escorting me to the sets.” On the topic of costs and budget, Apoorva remarked, “Varun used to be so concerned with budgets that he would often ask me why were we splurging unduly large amounts on the sets and song picturisations. I would tell him to relax, and take it easy. The expenses were made taking into account the demands of the story and the situations.”  

Varun was the lead actor in Humpty Sharma, playing Rakesh ‘Humpty’ Sharma. He was cast again in Khaitan’s Badrinath, as Badrinath ‘Badri’ Bansal. In his third film, Dhadak, Khaitan had Jahnvi as the heroine. So, the lead pair have worked together earlier, with Shashank, and there would be the requisite chemistry between them. Both of them had only words of praise for the banner and the unit. Looking at the Shashank Khaitan-Karan Johar time-line, we find some 11 films in 11 years, wherein Shashank was associated in some capacity, usually as writer, director or both, and sometimes as producer as well. That is some association. No wonder Shashank has been labelled Dharma’s dependable, in-house director, and he considers Dharma as family.

Since this was a free for all session, a question was raised about star whims and their unrealistic demands. Responding, Varun opined, “It works both ways. There are some inconsiderate producers and some arrogant actors. The actors must realise that a lot of money and many livelihoods depend on each film, and avoid anything that will be counter-productive. I recall that when I was young, I came to know of producers whose houses had been sold, to repay debts. Likewise, if actors treat the film as more than just an assignment, but an enterprise that involves huge team-work, right from the spot boys and light-men onwards, it will augur well for the industry.”

Shashank shared with the audience that Varun was really close to him. “After every shooting spell, for other banners, he would call me and show me how he had performed the scenes.” The exchanges then veered towards the subject of the film, which involves two lovers about to get married, who learn that their Exs (former lovers) are getting married to each other, and plan to disrupt and break-up the wedding. Varun, Jahnvi, Rohit and Sanya play the two pairs, while Manish Paul is cast as a Wedding Planner. Asked whether he had ever tried to get even with an Ex, in real-life, Rohit replied in the negative. Incidentally, the compere, Nitin, a regular at such events, played upon his surname, and suggested that Saraf (which means a cloth merchant or shop-keeper) was full of Sharafat (gentlemanliness). As it happened, he spoke the least from among those who were on stage. Jahnvi, for her part, averred that she would not try to break-up any wedding, even if it was between her Ex and somebody. “This would be the sanskari thing to do.”

Coming to the trailer, screened twice in succession, as is the norm, we gathered that Sunny has an ex girl-friend, called Ananya, and is and now wants to marry Tulsi Kumari. There are two insider jokes, one referring to Bahubali and the other to Katrina Kaif. It was shown that since his beloved had liked the film Bahubali very much, Varun should propose to her in a Bahubali get-up and setting, with disastrous consequences. In another scene, Jahnvi is told to walk like Kat. “A cat?” she exclaims. “No,” is the reaction. “Kat as in Katrina Kaif.” We see Manish Paul as the proud Wedding Planner, who declares, “We have no branches.” Then there is an exchange between Varun and Jahnvi. Varun: “I am a middle class man. My father gives me only Rs. 50,000 per month as pocket money.” Jahnvi, “My father gives me only Rs. 25,000, per month, so I am middle class too.” Varun: “That is not middle class. That is lower middle class.”

Summarising the film, Khaitan described it as, “…made to bring families together, in a film-watching experience. It is about relations, relationships, nostalgia, music, woven together in a manner that will endear it to hearts.” Though absent, Karan Johar sent a message, which read, “Family entertainers are at the heart of our story-telling. Sunny Sanskari ki Tulsi kumari is the biggest celebration of togetherness and happiness.” The film releases on 02 October, which is the day on which the festival of Dussehra will be celebrated in India, and also marks the birth anniversary of the father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi. Will a tale of two couples and their former partners, tinged with revenge, attract audiences, sanskaris and non-sanskaris, to flock to cinema halls? Time will tell.

Trailer: https://youtu.be/9FUd-D4FWjw