Review: 'Goodbye' is the warmest hug we didn't know we needed while being a soulful tearjerker

Goodbye

If you are a 90s kid, you would remember stories about people crying out till their tissues were wet after watching Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Ghum, isn't it? It is a pity that we have waited so long to have a movie do that to you again and even tougher now, but Goodbye is definitely that film. Having had the chance to see this ensemble cast led film directed by Vikas Bahl beforehand, here is what I thought about it-

Family Drama without 'Drama'

I cannot reiterate enough as to how pulling off a family drama in 2022 is umpteen times tougher than ever! The changing times in all facets of life has led to the idea of family drama being limited to melodrama and over-the-top execution of the same. And hence, director and writer Vikas Bahl deserves props right away for being able to weave out a family drama without 'drama', so to speak. The arguments, fights and clashes between characters in the film, especially the main family of Bhallas all seem organic and relatable. The idea of grown-up kids not receiving calls form their parents, the elderly parent feeling helpless in a difficult situation, loneliness, and of course, the reality of the circus of life that has made the 'youngsters' as they are - these are all so intricately written and performed that they hit the right spot every time! To add to the idea of being adorable, a cute dog is also in the mix!

Tearjerker at its best

Looking at the trailer, one expected it to be to an absolute tearjerker but nothing can prepare you for what Goodbye offers upon viewing. There is an abundance of moments which will tug your heart strings and keep tearing you up. Some of them organically and some of them intentionally. Gayatri (Neena Gupta), who was the soul and glue of the Bhalla family and literally held all these contrasting personalities together has passed away suddenly and the family has broken seemingly beyond repair. Every time, a character is informed about it, a blissful flashback plays showing just how divine Gayatri was. All these flashbacks which bring you back to reality (in the film) looking a lifeless Neena Gupta on a block of ice and then on the pyre just wells you up everytime. The one scene that got me the most was actually one of the first scenes where Tara (Rashmika Mandanna) is partying hard after her professional achievement and misses her mother's calls due to charging problems. But little does she realise that this was the last time her mother was calling and the regret of not being able to talk with your loved one, one last time is basically like piercing a knife through your heart!

Humor is not lost

The best possible decision that Bahl takes is the inclusion of humor on an array of instances. This is the writer and director allowing us to ease out a little bit as we prepare for the next tearing moment that might be coming anytime soon. Most of the humor in the film is situational and centred around 'mohalla aunties', a constantly interfering and orthodox 'family friend' and other situations surrounded around the rituals at play in a funeral but they land inspite of being cliched jokes, mainly because of the setting. The humor then involving the main family itself is also smartly written but falters a little bit in the second half, especially.

Giving an OMG-esque touch to it

To my surprise, the film even goes on to tackle and talk about the divide between old traditions and the ridicule that men and women of today have towards it. This is done through the character of Mandanna as Tara, who not only questions but is infuriated by the 'silly' traditions and rituals being practised pre- and post- the funeral. Then enters the character of Sunil Grover as a baba who was an absolute delight. In the short time he gets, Grover becomes the director's mouth organ into making sure that these rituals are explained with the intended/unintended logic behind it. This was indeed preachy as one would call it but it is courtesy the delightful performance of Grover that it becomes acceptable and even a lot of fun.

The Flaws in Screenplay But Getting over Them with the Performances

To note that it isn't the case that there aren't flaws in the screenplay which pirouettes from flashback to current day and otherwise. A scene that got me rather perplexed specifically was the instance of Amitabh Bachchan's character 'catching' his son and daughter-in-law having sex hours after they had performed their mother's last rites. The explanation given by Pavail Gulati's character doesn't actually justify anything and makes this awkward scene even more awkward.

However, such flaws can by overlooked by phenomenal performances of almost the entire cast. The legendary Amitabh Bachchan doesn't cease to evolve and grow as an actor even at the age of 80, which is a testament to him. As the grumpy father initially, he delivers a brilliant performance and watch out for the scene where he is talking to his wife's ashes. It is a masterclass in acting! Rashmika Mandanna gives her earnest best and does the job convincingly enough with her expressions and acting chops but the fact that the family is shown to be Punjabi, the tonality that Mandanna carries of being a South Indian hinders a tad bit. I repeat that Pavail Gulati is still an underrated actor and deserves more and more impactful roles in his career. Ashish Vidyarthi, Eli Avram, Sahil Mehta, Abhishek Khan and Shivin Narang are all doing their best and deliver! It is, however, Neena Gupta, who once again just wowed me with the impeccable screen presence she has. Obviously only a part of the flashbacks, Gupta is still so endearing to watch. In a brilliant animated scene of how Amitabh's character met Neena's character, the smile that comes of Amitabh's face while we see flashes of Neena smiling and laughing are moments that felt like a warm hug.

The Verdict

In the end, GoodBye is a film that sets out to achieve its intended goal - making you weep, making you laugh, falling in love with your parents again and giving them the tightest hug possible.

Rating - ***1/2 (3.5/5)