Ginny Wedss Sunny 2 review: Avinash Tiwary, Medha Shankr go through the motions in an occasionally funny rom-com

GInny Wedss Sunny 2Director: Prasshant JhaCast: Avinash Tiwary, Medha Shankr, Lillete Dubey, Sudhir PandeyRating: ★★⯪It’s a peculiar thing, how rom-coms often sense the like the same vino poured into different glasses. The beats are familiar, the turns expected, and yet, they remain a staple of the Indian film industry. Watching Ginny Wedss Sunny 2, a film that rarely strays from the predictable, one is reminded of countless others that have walked the exact path. And still, the question lingers: does that familiarity take away from this experience?Interestingly, the original Ginny Weds Sunny (2020) had skipped theatres for a direct-to-OTT release, with Yami Gautam Dhar and Vikrant Massey in the lead. The sequel opting for a theatrical run suggests the first film delivered numbers strong enough for the makers to double down, making this follow-up written and directed by Prasshant Jha, something of an anomaly.Ginny Wedss Sunny 2 storyThis time, the story centres on the feisty Ginny (Medha Shankr) and the more reserved Sunny (Avinash Tiwary), two individuals on the cusp of marriage. Urged by their parents, both choose to gloss over parts of their past to present a more agreeable version of themselves. The wedding goes through, but what happens when the truth surfaces after marriage? That forms the crux of the film. Ginny Wedss Sunny 2 reviewIt begins as a light, breezy affair, complete with the familiar setup of quirky families on both sides and the quintessential hero ka dost. The narrative chugs along, helped by the occasional laughs. However, the interval point feels bizarre, and so does the central conflict that emerges: Sunny takes issue with Ginny speaking in English and being more uninhibited in their relationship, labelling her as “too modern.”The issue is never either not fully established or doesn’t connect. The music, too, by Sushant-Shankar, Usman Khan, Haroon-Gavin, Heer and Amaan Noor is a forgettable affair. What does work, then, are some light-hearted moments, more of them in the second half. The chemistry between Avinash and Medha is passable. Avinash seems more at ease in this setup, while Medha’s character required a bit more spark. Nonetheless, the two play their parts sincerely. Sudhir Pande as Sunny’s father and Vishwanath Chatterjee as his brother add the much-needed humour. The dialogues, by Prasshant himself, are good.In conclusionBy the time it wraps up, Ginny Wedss Sunny 2 feels less like a story that evolves and more like one that circles back to where it began. Its biggest limitation isn’t predictability, but the dated lens through which it views its characters. And yet, there are fleeting stretches where the film is easy to watch, almost in spite of itself. You don’t walk out moved or surprised, but not entirely disengaged either, which, for a film this familiar, is perhaps its saving grace.