Movie: Thank God
Where to watch: in theaters
Review by: Russel D’Silvac
Bollywood has had a pretty good track record when it comes to religious themed comedies. As it is, the Hindi film industry is synonymous with tickling our funny bone with a litany of memorable comedies, but it mostly raises the bar when it comes to passing on a social message with a religious undertone, as proven in movies like OMG, PK and Taqdeerwala. Now Ajay Devgn, Sidharth Malhotra, Rakul Preet Singh starrer Thank God, directed by Indra Kumar, drop by in an effort to enlighten our Diwali with laughter and a well-intentioned lesson.
Does he join the club? Well, the road is a little bumpy at first, but manages to get through the door with enough distinction. So, are you excited about what to watch this weekend or this week and wondering if thank God is worth your time? Scroll down for my full Thank God movie review below…
What is it about
Ayaan Kapoor (Sidharth Malhotra) never appreciates his wife, Ruhi (Rakul Preet Singh) and other loved ones and always makes jokes about his life. Once highly successful, a series of bad decisions have brought him to the brink of bankruptcy when fate literally leaves him hanging between life and death, ahead of Chitragupt aka CG (Ajay Devgn) and the rest of heaven. His future now lies under the weight of how he lived.
Watch the Thank God trailer below:
what’s hot
Thank goodness is like an escalator in a shopping center, which rises higher and higher the further it goes, leading to a plethora of goodies at the end of the row, just like you probably get off an escalator and end up in a food court. While the first half contains a few funny moments, the second half really takes off, chock full of emotional gut after another without ever going overboard, the sentimentality cleverly offset by easygoing, laid-back charm and subtle humor. Some moments like between Ayaan and his mother, then with his father and sister, and finally the climax leaves you emotionally high and also forces you to introspect with some beautiful but non-preaching life lessons.
What not
Back to the escalator reference: Just as some people have a little trouble getting on an escalator, thank goodness it takes quite some time to really get going and it doesn’t get into its groove until the second half. The first half isn’t devoid of its moments, but they don’t really come together as a whole. You wouldn’t be bored or anything serious, but the procedures just amble on, almost as if you know better things are waiting around the corner. None of the songs really work either – quite surprising for an Indra Kumar movie, which has always been on one or two good tunes.
BL verdict
Thank goodness there may not be PK, OMG or Taqdeerwala in the pantheon of religious comedies, but it does enough to make this Diwali shine, especially with the second half dealing a real emotional punch, balanced with subtle humor. Ajay Devgn shines like only he can, while both Sidharth Malhotra and Rakul Preet Singh do the trick. All in all a good watch with your family this festival weekend. I’m going for 3.5 out of 5 stars.
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