BOTTOM LINE
Family Drama with Moments
PLATFORM
Jio Hotstar
RUNTIME
2hr 12min
What Is the Film About?
Mr. and Mrs. Kaushal’s (Ashutosh Rana and Sheeba Chaddha) 27-year marriage abruptly ends, leaving their son, Yug (Pavail Gulati), reeling. He’s shocked, having always believed his family was happy. Adding to his turmoil, his girlfriend, Kiara (Isha Talwar), a mature, foreign-returned woman, expresses a firm desire to not marry into a broken family. This ultimatum puts Yug in a difficult position.
Performances
Ashutosh Rana, Sheeba Chadha and Pavail Gulati hold the fort in Kaushaljis vs Kaushal admirably, delivering assured, emotionally impactful performances. Full props to the director for allowing Ashutosh Rana and Sheeba Chadha to unleash their mettle fully. Isha Talwar is graceful and elegant in an under-wrought role. Deeksha Joshi, Yash Chaturvedi, Ashish Chaudhury and Brijendra Kala make for a worthy supporting cast, complementing the leads.
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Analysis
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The Bengali drama Bela Seshe and its Telugu cousin Shatamanam Bhavati are among the rare mainstream releases that have tried to address strained relationships and divorce among the elderly (even if the issue was sidetracked later). Kaushaljis vs. Kaushal is more similar to another Telugu film, Konchem Ishtam Konchem Kashtam, in which a son tries to bring together a broken family.
The Kannauj-based Kaushals are parents to two children—a son and a daughter—who are doing well for themselves. However, all is not well between the couple. While the husband is a qawwali artiste who is overburdened by familial duties, the wife, a passionate perfumer, is lost in her domestic pursuits. They just can’t agree on anything, and the turbulence gradually affects their kids, too.
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Meanwhile, the son Yug, who works in the marketing division for a popular mobile company, has a liking for standup comedy. At a standup event, he bumps into an NRI Kiara, the owner of an artefact store, who wants to settle down with the man of her dreams in India. Yug and Kiara get along well, but everything changes when the parents confirm their decision to divorce.
Kaushaljis vs. Kaushal could have been a weepy drama stressing the importance of familial relations, but it sincerely tries to tap into the concerns of the elderly and how relationships lose their charm in the race for livelihood. While the Kaushals got together because of their mutual liking for art, they transitioned into different people who didn’t understand one another. This also makes the kids reassess their priorities.
The film remains on shaky ground while trying to establish Yug’s world, his life at work and the standup circuit. Yug and Kiara’s blossoming romance is too idealistic to strike a chord. Kiara’s characterisation is an excuse to help the couple reunite and the absence of a distinct identity doesn’t help. This subplot is breezy, and feel-good but eats up valuable screen time without offering much depth.
As the drama focuses more on Yug’s parents, it gets better. The nostalgic look at Kannauj is also welcoming – the chaos of colours, music, and the charming havelis with an element of historicity infuses life into the setting. While the film delves into the many reasons that have pulled Yug’s parents apart – it would’ve been compelling to offer a few visual glimpses of the early days of their marriage. Though the dialogues do that job, you’re still left wanting for more.
While Kaushaljis vs Kaushal deserves credit for addressing divorce with a degree of sensitivity, it ultimately pulls back from fully challenging societal norms. The film’s emphasis on the impact of divorce on the children, while understandable, subtly reinforces the idea that it is a disruptive force within the family unit. Though the courtroom scenes suggest that divorce can be a positive step for couples, the narrative leans towards reconciliation.
Kaushaljis vs Kaushal is a decent family drama exploring how relationships lose their spice after a point and why divorce may not always be a solution for it.
Music and Other Departments?
Saurabh Bhalerao’s music score has its priorities in place though the songs, composed by Ashish Chhabra and Vikram Montrose, are functional at best. Prasad Bhende’s cinematography captures the contrast between a metropolis and a rooted traditional village well – the frames remain lively and chaotic, contributing to the film’s visual appeal. From an editing perspective, the film needed a stronger start to draw a viewer’s attention, though it gains ground soon.
Highlights?
Decent premise
Strong performances
The rooted storytelling in Kannauj portions
Drawbacks?
Gets overly sentimental and preachy
Slightly conservative in its approach
Weak start
Did I Enjoy It?
Yes
Will You Recommend It?
If you enjoy old-school family dramas, go for it
Kaushaljis vs Kaushal Movie Review by M9
