Mere Husband Ki Biwi movie review: Arjun Kapoor, Bhumi Pednekar, Rakul Preet Singh's dramedy is a nostalgic trip to 90s comedies

Director: Mudassar Aziz

Star cast: Arjun Kapoor, Bhumi Pednekar, Rakul Preet Singh

Runtime: 143 mins (2hr 23min)

Where to watch: In cinemas 

Rating: 3.5 stars

Ankur Chadha (Arjun Kapoor), a divorcee meets his college crush Antara Khanna (Rakul Preet Singh) after years, and he decides to give love another chance. However, his past, ex-wife Prableen Kaur Dhillon re-enters in his life with no memory of their ugly marriage and how they got separated. As Ankur decides to move on in life with Antara, Prableen makes it his worst nightmare. Will Ankur give another chance to his broken marriage, or will Prableen let go of Ankur to start a new life with Antara? These questions make Mere Husband Ki Biwi an interesting watch. It is a good attempt at situational comedy with a dash of emotional turmoil in marriages.

In the 1990s there were comedies based on troubled marriages. Where the audience would laugh at the hilarious circumstances and would also take away subtle messages on love, relationships, and companionship. Mere Husband Ki Biwi (MHKB) also attempts to bring back such a dramedy where the characters are not into buffoonery to make one laugh. Mere Husband Ki Biwi is not a mindless entertainer or a slapstick comedy, but a film that takes time to steam up, but then takes you on a ride which is funny and emotional at the same time. 

The film is directed by Mudassar Aziz (Happy Bhag Jayegi, Pati Patni Aur Woh), and he again proves that comedy is his forte. Unlike his last film, Khel Khel Mein, MHKB has a slow first half, which has less comedy and more drama. But the movie picks up post-interval, and the narrative becomes an interesting tug-of-war between Bhumi and Rakul, that will keep you engaged thoroughly. Mudassar does deserve a mention for giving such meaty roles to Bhumi and Rakul, and after a point, they carry the film on their shoulders

Speaking about the performances, Arjun Kapoor returns to comedy after Mubarkaan, and this film was a good warm-up exercise for him. There are scenes when Arjun looks confused, but that's the requirement of his character. Ankur is confused about his past and future, and he depends upon his people to guide him. More than comedy, Arjun impresses in emotional scenes, sequences where he confronts Prableen and Antara. Arjun should do more comedy that will sharpen his comic timing and also test his skills, especially in over-the-top comedies.

Bhumi, who plays Prableen Kaur is a firebrand, a force to reckon with. Interestingly, Bhumi does the heavy lifting in the film, and she excels in being a badass, possessive, but emotional Punjaban. There are scenes when Bhumi emote pain and loneliness without dialogue, and she does it superbly. 

Rakul Preet Singh, who plays college hottie and physiotherapist Antara is another factor that makes MHKB entertaining. Apart from looking seductively pretty, Rakul holds your attention with her performance, which is layered, subtle, and a bit unpredictable. MHKB is easily more of Rakul and Bhumi's film than Arjun's.

Stand-up comedian Harsh Gujral, who marks his Bollywood debut is a discovery. He plays Ankur's bestie, Riyaan Qureshi, and throughout the film, he will make you laugh with his one-liners and reactions. Even in the flat first half, it is Harsh's dialogue that will make you laugh. Dino Morea plays Rakul's brother, and he did a fine job, despite limited scope. Apart from them, Kawaljit Singh, Shakti Kapoor, Anita Raaj, and Mukesh Rishi were decent, but they didn't have much to contribute.  

Speaking about the shortcomings, the film suffers from a dull first half. It's more of drama and less of comedy. The interval portion is slightly weaker and you don't feel excited about the second half.  A few good funny sequences could have been a little longer, like the dumb charades scene. The music is peppy with typical Punjabi wedding songs, but still, they don't register. Overall, Mere Husband Ki Biwi is definitely a family watch that will leave you emotionally satisfied.