Movie Review: ‘Good Newwz’
With Raj Mehta’s directorial ‘Good Newwz’, there have been many expectations especially as the star cast is so interesting – Akshay Kumar, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Diljit Dosanjh and Kiara Advani. The first trailer was received well and showed two married couples being mixed up during IVF treatment where the sperm samples of both men was mixed up due to their surnames being the same. The film promised a laugh riot but does it really deliver this with a semi-sensitive subject like IVF?
Mehta has written the story of ‘Good Newwz’ along with Jyoti Kapoor and Rishabh Sharma and it has to be said that having a writer as the director has done wonders for this story. With four acclaimed actors coming together for this kind of subject, it can feel like a mean feat especially when it’s a comedy genre which is made human by the actual plot itself. However, Mehta has managed to direct this story in a way that completely makes you laugh out loud but successfully captures your heart too.
As far as performances go, it is amazing to see Kapoor Khan sharing the screen with Kumar in this film. They have seen success together in starring opposite one another a number of times so audiences almost knew what to expect. However, as Deepti and Varun, this story is very real for them in the most part. In fact, in one of the most hilarious scenes where both them and Honey and Monika find out about the mistake made by the lab, it is Kumar and Kapoor Khan who show the most human reaction, in the middle of all the loud comedy. Their chemistry is one of the film’s biggest pluses and there are a few. Dosanjh and Advani are also a “cute” couple who are – on the whole – happy about being “pregnant” even if the swap has occurred. They feed off each other on screen and this is what makes them an interesting watch. Having said that, it is also endearing to see how Kumar and Dosanjh come together and create fireworks on the screen and also how Kapoor Khan and Advani seem to mellow things out too. All of the performances are perfect and the casting should definitely be recognised. It’s difficult to imagine the foursome chemistry being such a success with four different actors.
The others in the cast such as Adil Hussain and Tisca Chopra who play the doctors are commendable in their small roles, providing the anchoring the story needs to move on. They also provide some of the comedy and reflection in the light-hearted and serious moments which is needed for the characters to act on their feelings. Anjana Sukhani returns to the big screen after two years and playing Kumar’s sister and a lawyer, she also delivers a solid performance. Also, there’s a sneak peek of Mohit Raina in a couple of scenes which was a nice surprise.
The music of the film has also been receiving much with Sauda Khara Khara and Chandigarh Mein being firm favourites. However, the slower track by B Praak, Maana Dil, is also a great addition to the overall album. This is a soundtrack which has the potential of remaining in the audience’s hearts but time will tell if that actually happens.
All in all, ‘Good Newwz’ is a great watch for a funny take on IVF and surrogacy. However, it’s not just about the laughs. There are real issues tackled in its entirety including the pressure of having a child after marriage and also fertility issues more widely. This is something that helps the film become a full package and it therefore deserves its spot as one of the best movies of the year – helping 2019 end with a bang!
