Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari (2025) Review!!

Synopsis – Two former lovers in Delhi try to rekindle old flames, leading to amusing mix-ups and deceptions. As chaos unfolds, a new unexpected romance blooms. Who will find their happy ending amid the confusion.

My Take – Official trailers rarely deliver on expectations, however, that is not the case of this latest Dharma film which unapologetically delivers exactly what it promised in all of its marketing material: a glossy and breezy rom-com entertainer that despite a title that’s quite a mouthful thrives on Varun Dhawan’s comic energy, witty meta jokes, and over-the-top wedding chaos.

Marking the third outing of Dhawan and writer-director Shashank Khaitan, following Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania (2014) and Badrinath Ki Dulhania (2017), the film’s basic plot line is similiar to the narrative hook of I Want You Back (2022), but mixed in with typical unsubtle Dharma formula and some witty writing, the result is a formulaic but undeniably colorful entertainer.

While it lacks originality, but to its credit, the film is never boring.

Mainly as the script, co-written by Shashank Khaitan and Ishita Moitra (Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani) finds clever ways to create comic moments that feel very current times coded. Add to that Bollywood’s trademark wedding spectacle, typically dance numbers staged amidst rituals and ceremonies, the film works well as a perfect weekend escape.

The story follows Sunny Sanskari (Varun Dhawan), an infectious Delhi lad whose family runs a prosperous jewellery business and whose life is as shiny as his showroom. And now two years after being madly in love, Sunny is finally going to propose to his girlfriend, Ananya (Sanya Malhotra). However, Ananya not only brutally rejects him, but also informs him that she has accepted the marriage alliance of Vikram (Rohit Saraf), the polished heir of a business empire.

Heartbroken but not ready to give up, Sunny ropes in Tulsi Kumari (Janhvi Kapoor), a simple schoolteacher and Vikram’s ex, who is also emotionally dejected as he broke off their long-time relationship owing to family pressure. Hence, a plan is hatched, with Sunny’s friend, Buntu (Abhinav Sharma), as an accomplice.

Pretending to be in love with each other, the two barge into Vikram-Ananya’s pre-wedding festivities, to the delight of the eccentric wedding planner Kuku (Maniesh Paul), and the chagrin of Ananya’s family. Throwing themselves into the chaos of wedding festivities, and somewhere between the celebration and the family banter, Sunny finds himself falling for Tulsi.

Without a doubt the wedding celebrations are lavish, the costumes exquisite, and every frame bursts with color. There are shades of popular Dharma features sprinkled across the narrative. Sometimes it’s charming, sometimes it feels repetitive, but there’s no denying the visual pleasure.

Indeed, the setup is familiar, but director Khaitan packages it with witty dialogues, light humor, and true-blue romance that make it watchable even when the story feels predictable with subtle homilies on how to look at potential life-partners. But for all its laughter and gloss, the film misses the one ingredient that could have elevated it, emotional heft. There isn’t a single moment in the climax that tugs at your heartstrings or leaves you teary-eyed.

The resolution comes too conveniently, leaning on easy shortcuts rather than building towards a payoff that resonates. Nevertheless, taken as 135 minutes of harmless, unbridled fun that also throws in a few pearls of wisdom about parents, patriarchy, the tyranny of socially-enforced gender roles and marriages made in hell, the concoction ends up being mildly diverting without being strikingly memorable.

Performance wise, Varun Dhawan appears his most at ease in years. He is a riot throughout, sliding from mimicry to earnestness with ease, and his energy keeps the film afloat even when the writing falters.

Janhvi Kapoor, not just looks gorgeous, but also brings an unexpected lightness to the comic scenes and looks convincingly vulnerable when the script demands it. Their pairing is synergistic yet again after the differently-pitched Bawaal (2023), and their energy in the dance sequences alone is something to relish. Sanya Malhotra is likable and Rohit Saraf impresses despite being handed a template character.

Maniesh Paul and Abhinav Sharma are hilarious throughout. In supporting roles, Akshay Oberoi and Manini Chadha inject the narrative with an extra dose of drama. In smaller roles, Dharna Durga and Prajakta Koli play to their own respective fandoms. On the whole, ‘Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari‘ is a familiar sparkling rom com that manages to charm and entertain.