For some reason, forced marriages seem to have caught the fancy of Bollywood producers, who are adamant about turning this rather dreary event into a comic film. Sab Kushal Mangal is yet another movie that tries to entertain us that hovers around the same theme. Does more of the same work over here? We take a closer look at it in the Sub Kushal Mangal film review.
You cannot help but get a distinct B-movie vibe while watching Sab Kushal Mangal: it is set in a small town, has actors who might find it hard to get into a big-budget Bollywood film, and includes the customary bar number to round it off. Riva Kishan and Priyaank Sharma, two star-kids who make their debut with this film are not as bad as the trailer makes them look. Giving a much-needed impetus to the slapdash narrative is Akshaye Khanna who dons the hat of a local goon, Baba Bhandari. He kidnaps eligible bachelors and forces them to get married. The girl’s parents, who pay him to do so, resort to it as they do not have the means to fulfill the dowry demands.
The twist, if you may call it so, is that this time Baba Bhandari falls for Mandira, the girl for whom he has arranged a boy, Pappu Mishra, a media reporter. If you think that this is somewhat cliched, you are probably right. Sab Kushal Mangal does not try too hard for originality. Instead, it is satisfied in dishing out mediocre fare with a few quirky dialogues thrown in that do manage to make you laugh. There is a lot of carrying to be done here by Akshaye Khanna, who does not let you down. If this movie is watchable, it is largely due to this versatile actor who delivers like always.
Satish Kaushik, who plays the Pappu’s father, is a laugh riot. Although, Supriya Pathak, who plays his wife, does not manage to deliver the kind of performance we associate with her. Even Satish Kaushik’s character seems scripted as an afterthought, merely to infuse some hilarity into the story. However, the real disappointment here is Rakesh Bedi, who portrays Mandira’s father. He is given a lackluster part that is neither funny nor impactful. Anybody with half his talent could have played the part without making a difference. In short, the film fails to utilize the acting skill it has available.
To be fair, Sab Kushal Mangal manages to hold your interest until the intermission. However, beyond this point, a combination of factors does not allow the film to excel. If anything, the narrative turns sluggish and appears to go nowhere for way too much time. As the film gets to the finale, it does try to reignite the spark but it is a case of too little too late. All you hope for as you exit the cinema hall is, if indeed a sequel is made, it isn’t as sloppily written and executed.
Akshaye Khanna fans will be the only ones queuing up to watch Sab Kushal Mangal. Even they might be left disappointed by the end despite the actor doing his best under the given circumstances. Riva and Priyaank will not garner any fans with their debut performances and will have to impress the viewers another time. Working with an accomplished actor like Akshaye Khanna could still be considered a decent start to their acting careers. If you have ample time on your hands and are in the mood for some frothy comedy, you might want to check it out.
Sab Kushal Mangal film review rates Sab Kushal Mangal 
(2 / 5)
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