Three men, Dhyanchand, Harinarayan and Lakhudas, are told by a long-dead ancestor that every generation of the family must marry twice or be reborn as monkeys in the next life. With their wives gone and their patience thinner, all three are desperate to remarry. The comedy springs from the squabble over who gets to marry first and the conflicts it sets off.
Vandha Villas is a 2018 Gujarati comedy that runs on a deliberately absurd curse: three men are told by a long-dead ancestor that every generation of the family must marry twice or return in the next life as monkeys. With their wives gone and their patience thinner, Dhyanchand, Harinarayan and Lakhudas are desperate to remarry, and the film mines its laughs from the squabble over who gets to go first.
The script comes from Krishnadev Yagnik, the writer behind Chhello Divas and later the horror hit Vash, and his fingerprints show in the farcical, dialogue-driven comic engine even though Chinmay Parmar sits in the director's chair here. The ensemble mixes familiar Gujarati faces, with Haresh Daghia, Rahul Rawal and Vaishakh Ratanben as the cursed trio and Esha Kansara and Prapti Ajwalia among the women around them. Kedar Bhargav's soundtrack, including the earworm Dhangchakad Dhintaa sung by Nakash Aziz, keeps the mood light.
This is broad, fast comedy rather than anything subtle, and the premise wears a little thin across its running time, which is where the modest IMDb score lands it. Still, it is a tidy, good-natured watch that never overstays at under two hours, and it is easy to find now that it streams on ZEE5. Approach it as undemanding Gujarati farce built on one silly, sticky idea, and it does exactly what it sets out to do.
Verdict
A silly, likeable Gujarati farce powered by one ridiculous curse. Undemanding fun, now easy to stream on ZEE5.
What works
- Gleefully absurd curse premise
- Krishnadev Yagnik's comic writing
- Catchy Kedar Bhargav soundtrack
- Tight sub-two-hour runtime
What holds it back
- Humour is very broad
- Premise stretches thin
- Modest production scale
- Little emotional depth
Cast & crew
Writers: Krishnadev Yagnik
Music: Kedar Bhargav
Cast: Haresh Daghia (Dhyanchand), Vaishakh Ratanben (Harinarayan), Rahul Rawal (Lakhudas), Prapti Ajwalia (Dhara), Esha Kansara (Shivani), Swati Dave (Lata)
Producers: Aayush Mehta, Vaishal Shah
Watch the trailer
Play the official trailer on YouTubeMore from Chinmay Parmar
More Comedy Gujarati films
Frequently asked
Is Vandha Villas worth watching?
A silly, likeable Gujarati farce powered by one ridiculous curse. Undemanding fun, now easy to stream on ZEE5. Kevu Che rates it 3 out of 5.
What is Vandha Villas about?
Three men, Dhyanchand, Harinarayan and Lakhudas, are told by a long-dead ancestor that every generation of the family must marry twice or be reborn as monkeys in the next life. With their wives gone and their patience thinner, all three are desperate to remarry. The comedy springs from the squabble over who gets to marry first and the conflicts it sets off.
What is the IMDb rating of Vandha Villas?
Vandha Villas (2018) holds an IMDb rating of 6.1 out of 10.