There is so much to be said about changing roles in today’s India, and films would do well to reflect on this great churn. But R. Balki, like most of Bollywood, would rather not look outside and learn. Why make a real film about real people when you can stereotype. It is faster.

Apart from the writing, there are issues with the editing of Ki And Ka. The gaping holes in quality in these two departments can’t be saved, even by the peppy music of Mithoon, Meet Bros. Anjjan and Ilaiyaraaja. Not even by charisma of Amitabh Bachchan and Jaya Bachchan, who play phenomenal cameos in the movie. If only R Balki had built on the idea of having this couple play a more consequential role in the film.

Balki, who had earlier worked magic with ‘Cheeni Kum’, creates a messy love story in ‘Ki and Ka’. Leave it untouched, and you will not regret it.

Large swathes of Ki & Ka are fun, considerable sections of it are unexpectedly broad-minded, path-breaking for Bollywood and insightful. The problem is that we can section it off in this fashion. Ultimately, what fails the film is its mixed messaging and choppy texture.

For a film this saintly, I was disappointed to note the replacement of one kind of prejudice (against housewives) with another (against hired help). Ki and Ka’s maid is shown to be untrustworthy, which is then used as justification by Kabir to install a spycam to keep track of her activities while they’re on holiday. That’s the problem with making a film that considers itself a sort of public service. The higher you raise yourself, the farther you have to fall.

Ki & Ka stays sympathetic with Ka and speaks with the hero’s voice. Not only does he take care of the home well but will eventually be the protector of the woman and thereby prove his manliness (‘chaddi check’) too. Meanwhile, in the time-honoured tradition of Hindi movies, it portrays the ambitious woman as the one who is, eventually, in the wrong.

Ki and Ka is a one time watch, an average film that could have been great. Since this is a solo release this week and you don’t have much options, we suggest the couples to head to the nearest theatres, watch the film, to have a new take on life, get a lesson on gender inequality and to learn, how to appreciate your wives and mothers.

The main characters are too sketchy for the movie Balki hopes to have made, and they are not light enough for the movie he should have made. Ki & Ka could have been an interesting screwball comedy about the gender wars if the director had a greater attention span and a genuine interest in moving beyond gimmicky plots and contrived situations.