Dum Laga Ke Haisha

In Haridwar in 1995, Prem, who scrapes a living copying cassettes and never finished school, is married off to Sandhya, a qualified teacher. Prem does not find his wife acceptable because she is heavy, and makes no effort to hide it. Sharat Katariya builds a marriage story out of that shameful beginning and excuses nobody; Sandhya defends herself and goes as far as asking for a divorce. In her first film Bhumi Pednekar plays the part without ever inviting pity, and Ayushmann Khurrana lets his character's smallness stand. Nineties cassette culture, Kumar Sanu songs and provincial houses supply the texture. The piggyback race at the end gathers the whole story into one scene. Who it is for: viewers who like realist Indian family films and stories about how bodies are judged. Who it is not for: anyone wanting a romantic opening, since the film does the opposite.