PremiumKhichdi 2 - Mission Paanthukhistan Review: Rather binge-watch the (g)old episodes
The biggest problem with Khichdi 2 is that it thinks introducing a complex narrative is a good idea.
A poster for Khichdi 2
Last Updated: 05.48 PM, Nov 17, 2023
The Parekh family is still the same old people, with no logic and far from anything even remotely resembling maturity. Now they are on a mission to save a fictional country from its dictator and bring colour to the lives of its population.
Khichdi 2 - Mission Paanthukhistan Review:
The idea to let the Parekh family be the saviours of a town that is sad and colourless by making them bring laughter and add colours both metaphorically and literally is a great one. These bunch of people with no touch from the real world and probably the most relatable door to escapism have done that for us for years. One episode, and the stress from a bad day at work vanishes. So when Aatish Kapadia, the man behind a handful of gems on Indian television, takes the task of writing a movie that is both meta and hilarious, can he balance the massive canvas he has laid?
While Khichdi 2 does feel like meeting an old friend after 13 long years, the friend and we, the audience, have also changed a lot in that time. In her quest to keep up with those changing times, Kapadia writes Khichdi 2 with a complex structure. A story that is intertwined into many things and makes the Parekhs do things that are beyond their USPs. And that is where he goes wrong. None of us ever wanted the Khichdi world to evolve or update with time. It is our bubble that needs to be in its own time period, regardless of where the world outside it is going.
Khichdi 2, due to the stretched canvas and a storyline that is not simple, looks overburdened for most of its runtime. Hansa in the comforts of her house while Babuji is doing the chores and Jayshree is cooking something has its own charm, and it is not just tough but criminal to trade that universe. Even Khichdi 1 worked because, for most parts of it, it was religious to that syntax and created humor with dialogue more than actions.
Yes, the humour in Khichdi 2 is also good in parts; there are enough meta jokes, and there are even Easter eggs, but they all don’t come together to be one and bulletproof. They are so disjointed that nothing after a point makes any sense (not in a good way). Don’t come at me for mentioning 'sense' and ‘Khichdi’ in the same paragraph. Aatish Kapadia is a writer par excellence. His recent work with Happy Family is gold stuff. Khichdi 2 does not align with his legacy, which is way superior to many others in the Indian TV scene.
The best part about Khichdi 2 is that the Parekh family is gracing our screens yet again after over a decade. Praful and Hansa are still the same naive people who are precious for the sake of our sanity. Both Supriya Pathak and Rajeev Mehta continue to be brilliant. Jayshree at this point comes organically to Vandana Pathak, and so does Babuji to Anang Desai. JD Majethia is consistent at playing Himanshu well. Kriti Kulhari as Parminder gets very little to do this time compared to the last. She is mostly included to dance to two very outdated songs.
Talking of songs, the music of Khichdi was hilarious and so peppy. Khichdi 2 doesn’t even try to replicate that magic. However, Chal Chal Bhosle Market Chal is unbeatable.
Khichdi 2 - Mission Paanthukhistan Final Verdict:
Maybe it is a good idea to stick to nostalgia by re-watching things you love, because sometimes the pressure of serving a fandom does go against some popular IPs.