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A musical drama film directed by Shilpi Dasgupta, starring Sonakshi Sinha and Aditya Singh in the lead roles.
Critic Consensus
Critical consensus on Khandaani Shafakhana is largely negative, with most reviewers acknowledging the film's commendable intent in addressing sexual health topics while finding the execution severely lacking. Several critics noted that the screenplay undermines its own message by reducing serious subjects to shallow jokes and veering into unnecessary melodrama. Sonakshi Sinha's sincere performance and a brief appearance by Badshah were among the few individual elements that drew any positive attention. The film was widely seen as a missed opportunity, drawing unfavorable comparisons to earlier Bollywood films that handled similar sensitive subjects with greater craft and entertainment value.
14 reviews · 2 positive · 9 mixed · 1 negative
AI-generated summary of 14 critic reviews · may contain errors
Report inaccuracyCritic Reviews (14)
"The character-driven, female-centric film looks erectile dysfunction, premature ejaculation and low sperm motility in the eye."Read full review ↗
"Sonakshi Sinha and Badshah's film has its heart in the place but suffers for playing sexual problems for jokes and unnecessary melodrama."Read full 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."Read full 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."Read full 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."Read full review ↗
"With so many maladies plaguing the movie, it's too bad there's nothing like a scriptwriting Shafakhana."Read full 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."Read full 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."Read full 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."Read full 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."Read full 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."Read full 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."Read full 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."Read full review ↗
"Sonakshi Sinha delivers a sincere performance in a movie that gets lost between convenient laughs and righteous messaging"Read full review ↗
Cast & Crew
Cast
- Sonakshi Sinha · Babita "Baby" Bedi
- Varun Sharma · Bhooshit Bedi, Baby's brother
- Annu Kapoor · Tangra
- Badshah · Gabru Ghaatak
Details
User Ratings & Reviews
1 rating from the community
Community Reviews (1)
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.















