Growing up in a patriarchal middle-class household, marriage has always been on the cards for Randeep/Raano who envisioned herself as the perfect expat bride and homemaker alongside her like-minded female classmates. As she grows up though, her profession as a passionate cosmetician becomes her top priority. Unfortunately, both dreams are brought to a halt after she is sexually harassed by a jilted suitor at her workplace and furthermore, slut-shamed by narrow-minded relatives who force the ambitious young woman to forsake her ambitions and marry her off to Sukha, a young man from the neighbouring village who works his keep at the local tractor factory. However not all is lost, as with the strong-willed and selfless Sukha by her side, Raano gradually learns the meaning of true love while simultaneously unlearning her social conditioning and manoeuvring classist mentalities that hold her back, in order to win back her dignity, respect and even a beauty contest that could turn the tides in favour of the newlyweds.
‘Surkhi Bindi’ feels like a recipe on how to cook up a feel-good love story that effectively captures the essence of selfless love and restores one’s faith in authentic and stirring love stories too. It also resonates with its target audience of millennial/gen Z while imparting life lessons on a flavourful marriage in a non-preachy fashion, and the rom-com approach also ensures that there’s plenty of hearty laughs but also moments that leave viewers moist-eyed.
It is also packed with solid performances from the lead pair- With Gurnam Bhullar’s highly emotive performance and hyper childlike grin selling me on the empathetic, innocent and often impressionable Sukha who overcomes his own insecurities with the help a male colleague who supports him in his dedicated endeavour to be the ‘dream hubby’, investing in not only his wife’s business but also their marriage, even bending gender norms on a whim to win both her trust and her heart! And Sargun Mehta as Raano also delivers with her witty comic timing and a versatility that shines through in the well-executed ‘nightmare’ sequences wherein she vents out her frustrations or weighs her limited options as a woman with dreams of securing a place for herself, envisioning herself in the roles of both the traditional ‘doormat housewife’ and a strong, independent woman in the modern era who is unfortunately also perceived as a ‘bimbette’ by society.
The movie also utilises its celeb cameos to its advantage to aid in plot progression, rather than as a mere gimmick, particularly in its moving final act. While at its core, it is a romantic comedy, ‘Surkhi Bindi’ also acts as an effective social commentary on topics such as domestic abuse by weaving in the subplot of Sukha’s resilient sister and her forced marriage at a young age which thwarts both her personal and professional growth, women supporting women (one such instance witnessed through the characterisation of the totally thug-life landlady played by Rupinder Rupi who champions for Raano by providing her and Sukha with a roof over their heads as well as enough seed money for a makeshift salon and thus enabling the young lady’s ambitions to soar high), and of course, following through one's aspirations with conviction. A minor complaint however is the scene featuring Raano finding acceptance from her in-laws which felt a tad rushed despite good intentions and as a result, the impact of the same falls flat, especially as all the other characters grew in a far more layered fashion.
Speaking from the perspective of a desi who’s fallen out of love with the Bollywood mainstream due to the overall try-hard, formulaic and often soulless approach to romance of late, this progressive Punjabi movie was certainly a palette cleanser and also exceptionally well-made. Overall, ‘Surkhi Bindi' is a must-watch and also right up there in the league of other progressive and endearing contemporary takes in the romance genre and portrayal of enriching relationships in all its shades. So, if you're on the look-out for easily available Punjabi movies with a message as well as non-toxic, selfless male leads, don’t miss out!