Movie: Double XL
Double XL cast: Huma Qureshi, Sonakshi Sinha, Zaheer Iqbal, Mahat Raghavendra, Kanwaljit Singh
Double XL Director: Satram Ramani
Where to Watch: In Theatres
Review by: Russel D’Silva
Bollywood has been quite adept at dishing out good social comedies over the past decade or so, be it on religion, skin colour, erectile dysfunction, elderly pregnancy, toilet hygiene and so and so forth. This time, the Hindi film industry has touched upon the subject of plus-size women and how curvy can definitely be sexy, with Bollywood itself being somewhat responsible for perpetuating the opposite stereotype since the new millennium. So, does the Huma Qureshi and Sonakshi Sinha starrer, Double XL, manage to take both industry forward and also impact audience thinking. Well, it does in some ways, but the journey is nevertheless a bit bumpy. So, are you excited about what to watch this weekend or what to watch this week and wondering whether Double XL is worth your time? Scroll down for my full Double XL movie review below… Also Read – Phone Bhoot, Double XL, Mili and more theatrical new movie releases this week to make you rush to cinema halls [Watch Video]
What’s it about
Rajshri Trivedi (Huma Qureshi) has always yearned to be a sports presenter and her cricket knowledge is impeccable. Saira Khanna (Sonakshi Sinha) has been honing her fashion skills since childhood and is gunning to make her name as a hotshot fashion designer. However, both face umpteen roadblocks from family and outsiders due to not fitting into the ideal body type of a woman meant to be in glamorous professions. Also Read – Ajay Devgn starrer Drishyam 2, Varun Dhawan starrer Bhediya and more upcoming Bollywood movies that make November the most exciting year of 2022
Watch the Double XL trailer below:
What’s hot
Huma Qureshi once again proves what a good actress she is by breathing life into even the most pedantic dialogue and effortlessly switching between humour and emotion. Sonakshi Sinha may not match her skill, but does enough to form an admirable combo with Huma while both Zaheer Iqbal and Mahat Raghavendra lend able support. Mudassar Aziz and Sasha Singh’s screenplay is good in parts, highlighting several relatable points, which both people grappling with complexities of their weight and those who make them feel so would identify with while Satram Ramani’s direction creates more than a few heartwarming moments – case in point being the park scene where Huma and Sonakshi lay bare all the problems they’ve faced and how silly they seem, a cameo by Kapil Dev, Huma finally winning over her mother, and the climax at a fashion show. Milind Jog’s camerawork is another high point. Also Read – Diwali 2022: Double XL stars Sonakshi Sinha-Huma Qureshi share how they were body shamed during festive time [Exclusive]
What’s not
Where Double XL falters is in stitching together a cohesive narrative in-between its winsome moments. Firstly, it’s too long for its subject matter, and in doing so, loses the plot at quite a few junctures. Secondly, the supporting cast isn’t fleshed out well enough, with them either doing too little or at times, coming across as annoying, and it’s to the actors’ credit that they make the most of their sketchy character arcs. The music, too, is a huge letdown, including the background score, with only the Tamil-esque song in a pub leaving an impact.
BL Verdict
Double XL has the right intentions and does its best to convey them, but it gets lost in translation at more than a few places, owing to the length and shoddy plotting. An important film that makes for a slightly decent watch, but needed to be better. I’m going with 2.5 out of 5 stars.
Rating : 2.5 out of 5
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