For a country so obsessed with sex and porn, why is sex education in schools still a taboo? India is perceived to be the land of Kamasutra, then why do Indian parents and teachers shy away from talking about sex openly with kids? If biology is a subject in school curriculum, why the chapter on reproduction is conveniently overlooked and never taught properly? OMG 2 presents these arguments with a generous dose of humour that never lets the film enter the preachy zone and keeps it highly entertaining. Director-writer Amit Rai has meticulously touched upon the subject of sex education without making it sound frivolous or vulgar. (Also read: Gadar 2 and OMG 2 movie release live updates)
The film traces Kanti Sharan Mudgal (Pankaj Tripathi) who runs a pooja shop near a temple and is a die-hard devotee of mahakal (Lord Shiva), a caring husband, a doting father to two and a good, and generally a kind man. His life turns upside down when his son Vivek (Aarush Verma) gets admitted to the hospital due to exhaustion caused by excessive masturbation (‘selfie’ as a slang), and gets rusticated from school on the pretext of obscene and vulgar conduct, after a video of him doing the act in school toilet is circulated on the internet.
To save his family from being ostracised, Kanti decides to flee with his family, and that’s when enters the messenger of God (Akshay Kumar) to guide him and put him on a righteous path to fight for his son. Upon realising that his son has actually been a victim of misinformation and misguidance, Kanti takes the matter in his own hands, and drags the school authorities to the court along with babas, sex therapists, a doctor and a chemist who made Vivek conscious about his sexual desires. There, he is pitted against an English-speaking lawyer Kamini Maheshwari (Yami Gautam), and the two present their arguments in front of Judge Purushotam Nagar (Pavan Malhotra).
Amit Rai’s gutsy yet sensitive writing is the star of the film that makes a socially relevant story more effective. He doesn’t hesitate in calling a spade, a spade. For example, the film raises a pertinent question about why don’t people call penis and vagina as penis and vagina, and instead use slangs or give them names? In one of the scenes, when Tripathi is trying to show how schools should impart sex education, he refers to penis as ‘ling’ and vagina as ‘stree ki yoni’ and at no point it feels uncomfortable to hear.
OMG 2 is a sincere attempt at reducing the gap between Indian parents and children when it comes to having a comfortable discussion around physical intimacy. The progressive outlook the film tries to show through its characters reaches us well, and with some thought-provoking lines, it leaves a lasting impact. Also, I liked that Rai hasn’t introduced too many subplots, and he remains focused on highlighting the importance of sex education.
Other than its script, OMG 2 belongs to Pankaj Tripathi, and he carries the film effortlessly on his shoulders. Of course there’s able support from Akshay Kumar in his extended cameo, but Tripathi is a delight to watch onscreen. From every word he speaks to every gesture he makes, it’s so nuanced and well-performed that it calls for applause. His command over the language is unmatched, though at times, the pure Hindi dialogues get a bit too much to handle. But, he tries to translate them into simpler Hindi, and things get back on the track.
Yami as the menacing defendant delivers a convincing performance and holds her ground in the courtroom scenes. Akshay as the messenger of God (he was earlier to play Lord Shiva but after CBFC modifications, his character was tweaked) is just magnificent. With those deadlocks, godlike smile and harem pants, he carries a divine ‘swag’. The pre-interval sequence that shows a Shivratri scene has Kumar doing a tandav that’s not to be missed and is just magical. I loved the fact that despite his star power and strong screen presence, Kumar not for once overshadows Tripathi, instead elevates he his scenes, and lets him shine throughout.
Taking the OMG franchise forward, this latest offering is a whole new story albeit with a few commonalities with the premise of part one. For instance, the divine intervention that pushes a devotee to fight for his own rights, the courtroom setup, the hospital sequence before the climax, and the importance of books in making the protagonist realise that all answers lie in the literature that has already been written centuries ago.
OMG 2 is the kind of film that is meant for family viewing, as it bridges the gap that has long existed between parents and kids who aren’t comfortable talking about certain topics. The film opens a channel for conversations and the need to normalise sex education. Watch it with your kids and you’ll go home with a smile, and maybe with a more open mind, too.
