"Zara Hatke Zara Bachke" is a family drama film directed by Laxman Utekar. The movie revolves around the desire of young middle-class couples to break away from joint families and have their own home. The story follows the love marriage of Kapil Dubey (played by Vicky Kaushal), a yoga teacher, and Saumya Chawla (played by Sara Ali Khan), a chemistry professor. Their plans are disrupted when Kapil's nosy uncle and aunt move into their family home. Unable to find an affordable flat, they decide to apply for a government scheme but are advised by a corrupt official named Bhagwan Das (played by Inaamulhaq) to divorce each other to fulfill the scheme's conditions. This leads to a comedy of errors that captures the dynamics of urban families and society.




The performances by Vicky Kaushal and Sara Ali Khan have the flavor of middle-class family dramas seen in the past, reminiscent of actors like Amol Palekar and Zarina Wahab, and Farooque Sheikh and Deepti Naval. Vicky portrays the charming boy who believes in taking shortcuts for a better future, while Sara convincingly portrays the girl who aspires for more in her life. Their characters influence each other's behavior, resulting in an interesting evolution of their bond throughout the film. Supported by well-written dialogue, Vicky effortlessly portrays Kapil's character without his usual charm, and Sara showcases that Saumya is more than just her appearance in chiffon and georgette saris.


The film's storyline follows a cut-and-paste approach that seems inspired by other films, similar to Irrfan Khan's "Hindi Medium," where the pursuit of fitting into a government scheme goes awry. The role of Sharib Hashmi's character, a guard, in driving the screenplay is reminiscent of Deepak Dobriyal's role in "Hindi Medium," interestingly, considering Laxman Utekar worked as the cinematographer on that film.


The supporting cast is impressive, with notable performances from Akash Khurana as a middle-class father and Kanupriya Pandit as the conniving yet endearing Deepa Mami, who brings caste and social status into family conversations. Rakesh Bedi shines as the father-in-law, imparting crucial life lessons after a few drinks.


While the lead actors occasionally overdo their chemistry, Sara shows improvement with each film, although she should work on channeling her nervous energy in a way that feels less theatrical, especially when sharing the screen with natural performers like Vicky Kaushal or Dhanush. The film does have moments where situations and props become repetitive, but it manages to rediscover its charm before it's too late, much like Kapil's teachings to his yoga students.


"Zara Hatke Zara Bachke" is currently playing in theaters. The film combines comedy and drama to explore the aspirations of young couples and the challenges they face in their pursuit of independence. While it may not be entirely original or logical, it remains an enjoyable watch, thanks to the performances and the lighthearted approach to depicting the complexities of urban families and society.