'Thank You For Coming' review: Bhumi Pednekar shines in movie on female desire

ONE look at recent films and especially web serials coming out of India shows that sex onscreen has become less taboo in the country. That has led towards a wide array of subjects, not available before, being covered and this recently released film fully capitalises on that.

Kanika is a serial dater, who constantly looks for validation and is determined to not be alone like her single mother. After unsuccessful relationships, she admits to never having had an orgasm to friends, who have their own problems to deal with. After resigning herself that it won’t happen for her, she gets engaged to a seemingly safe man. But then before the marriage Kanika has a wild night, which results in her first orgasm, but she doesn’t know who it happened with and what follows is a ‘sexual whodunnit’.

The comedy takes on a subject that hasn’t really been tackled before in a Bollywood film. This includes frank discussions on sex, unapologetic characters, and scenarios new to commercial Hindi cinema. Although it tries to be an Indian answer to Sex And The City, the cultural surroundings give Thank You For Coming its own identity, with moments many women will relate to.

The fun feminist romp has strong performances, but very much belongs to lead star Bhumi Pednekar, who once again shows just why she is one of the most fearless actresses working in Indian cinema. Her strong screen presence largely drives the story.

What prevents the movie from reaching greater heights is an inexperienced male director, who doesn’t seem quite in tune with the female protagonists and a screenplay that doesn’t quite match up to its lofty ambitions. If there was one film that demanded an experienced female director and cleverer writing, it was this one.

That doesn’t take away from Thank You For Coming being a dramatically different effort, which could become a potential game-changer if others follow suit.