Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari, is the complete-fledged Bollywood rom-com directed by Shashank Khaitan. The presence of a star-studded cast of Varun Dhawan, Janhvi Kapoor, Sanya Malhotra, and Rohit Saraf along with other actors (Maniesh Paul and Akshay Oberoi) ensures glitz, emotion and the grand weddings, palaces and colorful dancing scenes that the average fan expects.
But does Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari deliver? Let’s find out.
Plot & Premise
The story of Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari spins around Sunny (Varun Dhawan), who is hopelessly in love with Ananya (Sanya Malhotra). When he plans to propose to her post her trip to Italy, he is blindsided by her confession—they were never really in a committed relationship; theirs was a “situationship.”
Ananya reveals she is already engaged to Vikram (Rohit Saraf) of Singh Industries. Reeling from heartbreak, Sunny discovers that Vikram himself had a past relationship—with Tulsi Kumari (Janhvi Kapoor), a school teacher—and broke things off with her to be with Ananya.
Seeing a mutual grievance, Sunny and Tulsi form a pact: crash (or sabotage) Ananya and Vikram’s upcoming wedding in Udaipur and attempt to get their exes back. They sneak into the wedding celebrations with the best friend of Sunny, Bantu (Abhinav Sharma), and the unorthodox wedding planner, Kuku (Maniesh Paul), and dress up as a couple.
What ensues is a combination of anarchy, humour, self discovery and emotional twists. As time passes the opinions of Sunny change, the relationships are made more complex and what he initially thought to be revenge is more of what love is all about.
Performances & Characters
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Varun Dhawan (Sunny) brings his usual charm and comic timing. Sunny is over the top, delusional at times, but also likeable. Varun carries many of the film’s lighter moments, especially in the first half.
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Janhvi Kapoor (Tulsi Kumari) plays a more grounded, spunky character—she is the injured ex who’s had to pick up the pieces. She has good moments in both humour and emotion.
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Sanya Malhotra (Ananya) is striking in her looks and brings earnestness, though critics feel her character sometimes lacks depth.
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Rohit Saraf (Vikram Singh) does decent work showing the contradictions of his character—caught under family pressure, trying to keep up appearances, yet having emotional baggage of his own.
Support cast members add color. Maniesh Paul provides comic relief as the wedding planner; Abhinav Sharma’s Bantu is the loyal friend sidekick who helps escalate the weirdness.
Direction, Writing & Themes
Shashank Khaitan goes back to what he knows: love, weddings, family demands, and the romantic comedy elements that are popular among the Bollywood viewers. Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari draws on these tropes -situationships, jealous exes, fake couples, grand weddings-and combines them with pop culture allusions and banter.
The film touches upon deeper themes: the meaning of commitment vs convenience, what it means to be “sanskari” (traditional) vs modern, and the pressures women often face around adjustment in relationships. While it doesn’t make these issues its core, it weaves them into the narrative enough to provide some emotional weight.
Music, Cinematography & Visuals
Music plays a key role in Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari, with tracks like “Panwadi”, the redux of Sonu Nigam’s “Bijuria”, and romantic numbers by Sachet-Parampara. These songs are catchy and visually opulent, though several reviewers observe they sometimes interrupt the flow or feel more like spectacle than storytelling.
Visually, the film is grand. Costume design, set design—especially the wedding and Udaipur palace locations—are lush and appealing. If nothing else, Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari delivers on the aesthetic expectations of modern Bollywood rom-coms.
Strengths & Weaknesses
Strengths:
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Strong lead performances, especially Varun Dhawan; moments of real emotional resonance.
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Entertaining comedy in portions; witty dialogue and comic set-pieces are enjoyable in the first half.
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Visuals, production value, music and weddings: high on spectacle and typical of big rom-coms.
Weaknesses:
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Pacing becomes uneven, especially post-interval. Some scenes feel forced or cliché.
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Emotional arcs (especially for secondary characters) are under-developed. Some subplots feel shallow.
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The climax and final act are criticized for being rushed, lacking logic or emotional payoff.
Audience Reception & Verdict
The reaction of the audience towards Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari is divided. Several love its feel-good scenes, humour and the chemistry among the main characters. It provides the viewer with what he or she would anticipate in a wedding-romance spectacle. Others, meanwhile, believe the movie is over-formulaic, too cinematic rather than dramatic, and does not take any chances.
Provided that you are a fan of Bollywood rom-coms, with their grand weddings, family pressures, friendship, love triangles, then you will probably enjoy Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari. Yet, when you are in need of originality, tight writing and dramatic depth, you can be left wanting by the film.
Why Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari Still Matters?
- The movie, Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari, once again confirms the love of Bollywood to wedding movies, and rom-coms blended with them, a genre that is still esteemed by the viewers who want to escape.
- It draws audiences with a big name (Varun Dhawan, Janhvi Kapoor), and with a good appearance.
- Even its weaknesses (predictability, emotional pacing) underline the predicament Bollywood rom-coms are in: how to combine spectacle and soul.
Final Rating / Recommendation
On a scale of 0 to 5:
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Story & Originality: 3 / 5
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Performances: 3.5 / 5
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Direction & Tone: 3 / 5
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Music & Visuals: 4 / 5
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Overall Enjoyment: 3.5 / 5
Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari is an entertainer that meets most of the expectations of its genre. And it does not necessarily fly, but when it does, it is fun. The movie is worth watching by those who want to escape a light and full of colour and romantic escape. For those seeking groundbreaking cinema, however, this one might not make the hit list.
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