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Khandaani Shafakhana backdrop

Khandaani Shafakhana

2 August 2019Hindi2h 16m
out of 10
Mixedlukewarm or divided
Monk Score · 12 scored reviews · 2 not rated

Good intentions on sexual health taboos, let down by a fumbling screenplay.

Verdict tier Mixed, lukewarm or divided, on a scale of Unfavorable, Mixed, Recommended, Exceptional.

  • Praised: Badshah's brief cameo appearance
  • Criticised: Weak screenplay and insufficient comedy

Audience

User score 4.0 out of 10 from 1 rating, not enough ratings for a verdict yet
Read 1 audience review ↓

Critic consensus

What 14 critics are saying

Critical consensus on Khandaani Shafakhana is largely negative, with most reviewers acknowledging the film's worthwhile intent in addressing sexual health taboos while finding the execution severely lacking. Where praise exists, it is directed at Sonakshi Sinha's sincere performance and Badshah's brief but memorable appearance. Critics consistently found the screenplay weak, citing a failure to sustain meaningful comedy, a drift into melodrama, and a tendency to reduce serious subject matter to cheap jokes. Several reviewers drew unfavorable comparisons to earlier Bollywood films that handled similar sensitive topics with greater skill and entertainment value.

How the 12 scores spread

2 not-rated reviews aren't plotted

Positive / mixed / negative reviews

Positive = 6.5/10 and up · negative = below 5/10

AI-generated summary of 14 critic reviews · may contain errors

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From the papers

Critic reviews (14)

Top critics first, then by score · not-rated last · updated

  1. Top critic

    NDTV

    Film review ·

    The character-driven, female-centric film looks erectile dysfunction, premature ejaculation and low sperm motility in the eye.
  2. Top critic

    Hindustan Times

    Film review ·

    Sonakshi Sinha and Badshah's film has its heart in the place but suffers for playing sexual problems for jokes and unnecessary melodrama.
  3. Top critic

    Indian Express

    Film review ·

    The trouble with this film is that quite soon it chickens out. From a comedy with a strong 'social' component which could have been a barrel of meaningful laughs, it turns into a soppy melodrama.
  4. Times Of India

    Film review ·

    In the past, we have seen films like 'Vicky Donor' and 'Shubh Mangal Savadhan' handle sensitive subjects (read sperm donation and erectile dysfunction) with class, tact and comedy. While this film's intent is bang on, what it really needed was a heavier dose of humour and entertainment.
  5. Mid-Day

    Film review ·

    Shilpi Dasgupta's noble intention runs thin when the screenplay starts reducing sexual issues to jokes for quick giggles. The gaze is empathetic even though the protagonist starts off reluctantly.
  6. Gulf News

    Film review ·

    While the message behind this film is laudable, it isn't always exciting. If you are hoping that this movie will end with a big bang, you are mistaken.
  7. IBNLive

    Film review ·

    Sonakshi Sinha's Film Isn't A Cure for Boredom...The movie makers stay true to their promise of, "The Only Sex Film for the Whole Family" and the film ends up being a straitjacketed one for it.
  8. India Today

    Film review ·

    Khandaani Shafakhana is another example that proves that Bollywood is thinking out of the box. But the subject alone isn't enough, the key is to present it in an engaging manner, with a dose of entertainment. The film tries to do so, but doesn't quite make the cut. Khandaani Shafakhana is at best a one-time watch and is a treat for only, and only, Sonakshi Sinha fans.
  9. Rediff

    Film review ·

    With so many maladies plaguing the movie, it's too bad there's nothing like a scriptwriting Shafakhana.
  10. Sify

    Film review ·

    Khandaani Shafakhana betrays most flaws that efforts of debutant directors in Bollywood normally do. Hopefully, Shilpi Dasgupta will give us a better second film.
  11. Yahoo

    Film review ·

    Despite the flaws, the topic is a pertinent one — this is a conversation that needs to happen and people with issues related to sex need to feel that there is no need to keep their gupt rog all that gupt anymore. Alas, only if the matter was handled with a little more finesse, this story about yaun sambandh wouldn't have been a yawn-fest.
  12. Firstpost

    Film review ·

    Depth though is missing in this film that touches upon all these elements, but sinks its teeth into them only in fits and starts. It has its moments here and there. However, overall, although it is meant to be a comedy drama about sexual health, the comedy is occasionally on point but there is not enough of it, the social commentary is very occasionally insightful but not enough, and the drama is not dramatic enough.
  13. Reuters

    Film review ·

    The lifeless plot gets a few scenes right, but they are few and far between. The only bright spot is an all-too fleeting appearance by rapper Badshah, who plays a flamboyant version of himself as a popular rapper named Gabru Gatak. His delightfully wry delivery seems to coax Sinha into showing off some of the comic timing that is otherwise missing from the rest of her performance.
  14. The Hindu

    Film review ·

    Sonakshi Sinha delivers a sincere performance in a movie that gets lost between convenient laughs and righteous messaging

From our readers

Audience reviews (1)

1 rating · user score 4.0

  1. Tejas NairOct 2019
    4/10

    Khandaani Shafakhana (Family-Owned Sex Clinic) aspires to convey a good message (that of sex education to the masses (interior India)) but fails to do so because of its uninspiring screenplay, crass jokes (mainly by Varun Sharma), and a snail-paced narrative that takes the formulaic approach of a good-intentioned woman (Sonakshi Sinha) being assumed evil by the society for being 'obscene'. For anyone who has been closely following Bollywood, this social dramedy will be reminiscent of other films in recent times chafing the same topic and it is just amazing how much you can predict what's going to happen with the same prejudiced family members, the good Samaritan protagonist, his well-wishing stranger-turned-friend, and the evil corporations. Even Sinha acts like the way she has been acting since after her Dabangg (2010) days. There's no novelty in Khaandaani Shafakhana save for its catchy name, and with that preachy undertone and mocking courtroom sequence at the end, it just adds to it being just below average. The content is good but just falls short of being handled with finesse and imagination. Badshah should probably stick to rapping. TN.

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