Doctor G is a dramedy with our ever-earnest actor Ayushmann Khurrana at the helm of the narrative, enlightening every "progressive, liberal" man who is comfortable in his "at least I do not raise hands on women" and "they can work now, what more do they want?" level feminism about their casual sexism. Cleverly named "Doctor G", the film disguises as a doctor whose specialisation is in curing misogyny.
I have always appreciated Ayushmann's ability of providing his platform and taking a backseat after passing the mic to the person whose story is being told. Most actors wouldn't do this. They, like our protagonist, feel emasculated when the limelight moves away from them even for a second. In this film, Ayushmann pushes this ability of his to its peak. He enters the world of women and unlike how such stories usually go, he is actually shown passing by the female gaze.
There's a lot to like about Doctor G from its subtlety (which are bound to give you epiphanies if you understand them) to its sharp editing to its strong restraint against melodrama to the expertise with which it pulls off a complete shift in the tone of the film. The film's director, Anubhuti Kashyap, not only deftly manoeuvres the narrative change without making it too jarring as the breezy comedy turns into a dark thriller, but she also expresses a larger message that your growth as a person isn't necessarily all breezy and discrete but rather exists in a continuum during which it reflects in the tougher choices that you make when things get difficult and grim.
However, the film is also marred with noticeable flaws - the most conspicuous of which is the disappointingly terrible and distracting background score by Amit Trivedi, specially in the first half. Even his quirky music in the first half is harsh on the ears and often too loud when it's in juxtaposition with dialogues for us to be able to hear what the actors are speaking. The comedy writing in the first half tries too hard and the punchline setups are often either too predictable or just don't land. Anubhuti is in far more control of the screenplay in the second half and that includes the subtle and unobvious jokes which work really well in it. Watch out for the Zalima moment - easily the funniest sequence of the film.
Talking about the performances, Ayushmann is evergreen and moves the character arc as beautifully as ever. His efforts on the body language deserve a special mention as he retains an easy-to-miss "nerd posture" throughout the film and his comic timing during confrontational scenes is just phenomenal. Shefali Shah is a gem of an actor who deserves every superlative in the dictionary. More than her acting, it's her screen presence which is so bright that sometimes it even manages to almost eclipse a fantastic actor like Ayushmann. Sheeba Chadha is fantastic in her liberal mother role but she isn't given enough to chew in the first half. Rakul does well as the self-possessed but still figuring herself out character. Special mentions for the supporting actors who plays the teen girl and the nurse.
Doctor G on surface seems to be dealing with too many issues for a 2 hour film but its unshakeable conviction for the larger message of feminism and sensitising men towards it strings together all the subplots and makes it work. This film is a necessary watch. Go watch it with your friends and family. Go again if you feel like some aspect of the film didn't make much sense. There's a lot being said beneath the surface which many are bound to miss.
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