Sharmajee Ki Beti REVIEW: Sakshi Tanwar, Divya Dutta & Saiyami Kher’s film is a mature take on women’s problems but lacks in certain departments

Film:
Sharmajee Ki Beti

Director: Tahira Kashyap Khurrana

Writer: Tahira Kashyap Khurrana

Cast: Sakshi Tanwar, Divya Dutta, Saiyami Kher, Vanshika Taparia, Arista Mehta, Sharib Hashmi, Parvin Dabas

Runtime: 115 minutes (1 hour, 55 minutes)

Available on: Amazon Prime

Sharmajee Ki Beti Review

Sharmajee Ki Beti is Tahira Kashyap’s first feature film and we must say it’s a heartwarming and humorous slice-of-life film that explores womanhood in contemporary India. Starring Sakshi Tanwar, Divya Dutta and Saiyami Kher, as well as Vanshika Taparia and Arista Mehta in prominent roles, the nearly 2-hour-long film captures generations of Sharmas girls navigating love, careers, and self-discovery with heart and humour. The film tells the story of the Sharma women in three households – Jyoti (Sakshi Tanwar) and her teen daughter Swati (Vanshika Taparia), Kiran (Divya Dutta) and her daughter Gurveen (Arista Mehta), and Tanvi (Saiyami Kher).

The Tahira Kashyap directorial explores a variety of themes, including mother-daughter relationships, adolescence, career aspirations, and love. While the slice-of-life flick tackles all these issues, it also lacks in exploring them in-depth. The movie would have had a better impact if it had focused solely on an individual or just 2 of the three narratives. Scroll below to read our Sharmajee Ki Beti review.

What Works

The maturity with which the different topics are handled deserves a round of applause. Vanshika Taparia, aka Swati, and Divya steal the show every time they appear on screen.

What Doesn’t Work

While we commend Tahira Kashyap Khurrana for making a film like Sharmajee Ki Beti – that is sure to start conversations, it seems like she bit more than she can chew. The narrative just scratches the surface and doesn’t dwell much on any topic.

Technical Analysis

Story

Jyoti is a workaholic mother who is so busy with her career that she has little to no time to spend with her husband Sudhir (Sharib Hashmi) and Swati. Swati is like any teenager of today (today being the main keyword) grappling with teen angst and a persistent fear that something is biologically wrong as she hasn’t got her periods even though she’s in Class 8.

Kiran has recently moved to Mumbai from Patiala and lives with her husband and daughter, Gurveen. Gurveen – who is also Swati’s BFF, is obsessed with her hair and whether or not she is queer. Tanvi – who is also Kiran’s neighbour, is a promising cricketer who is in a relationship and has a condescending boyfriend – Rohan (Ravjet Singh), who is an aspiring actor. She is unwilling to give up on her dreams and settle down in life.

Screenplay & Dialogues

Writer-director Tahira Kashyap Khurrana has attempted to portray several topics in the 2-hour-long film, however, it seems like she bit more than she could chew. The screenplay lacks subtlety and tends to over-explain things. The narrative is overstuffed and completely unravels in the last 20 minutes. In fact, there are times when the film becomes predictable. In an effort to resonate with Gen Z, the filmmaker has teens Swati and Gurveen discuss topics like menstruation and relationships but the portrayal falls short.

The dialogues aren’t that memorable and may seem way too simple or cringe while watching.

Direction

Tahira Kashyap focuses on highlighting the issues women go through without preaching or presenting a one-dimensional view. With her honest portrayal of everyday middle-class life – filled with emotional vulnerability and humour, Kashyap celebrates the diverse aspirations and journeys of her female characters.

Star Performances

Sakshi Tanwar as Jyoti is something we have seen the actress portray in the past. We see her embody the sacrifices working mothers make beautifully. Divya Dutta as Kiran is impressive, showcasing the loneliness one feels in a loveless marriage. She perfectly brings to light the silent strength and quiet desperation of a woman yearning for connection. Saiyami Kher is underwhelming and the main reason for it is the way her character is written. The actress appears comfortable in the cricketing scenes but falls flat during the other times she’s in front of the camera.

Vanshika Taparia as Swati and Arista Mehta as Gurveen deliver remarkable performances as awkward teenagers on the brink of entering womanhood. They are natural when it comes to playing teenage girls who are discovering themselves and understanding things happening around them.

Parvin Dabas and Sharib Hashmi add depth and humour to the supporting roles.

Conclusion

Tahira Kashyap deserves a round of applause for her attempt to talk about the problems modern Indian women face in society. Be they working women, stay-at-home mothers, women just starting unconventional careers or young girls just stepping into womanhood, Kashyap attempted to deal with each topic with maturity. While the slice-of-life film is wholesome, it does lack in certain aspects. It’s like the film is missing salt to bring all the flavours and textures of a dish together. Hope our Sharmajee Ki Beti review was insightful.

Watch the trailer here:

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