Not a masterpiece but an engaging watch!

Govinda Naam Mera (Hindi)

• Cast: Vicky Kaushal, Kiara Advani, Bhumi Pednekar, Renuka Shahane, Amey Wagh, Dayanand Shetty, Sayaji Shinde, and Ranbir Kapoor (special appearance)
• Director: Shashank Khaitan
• Producers: Karan Johar, Apoorva Mehta, and Shashank Khaitan
• Music: Meet Bros, Tanishkh Bagchi, B Praak, Sachin Jigar, and Rochak Kohli
• Runtime: 2 hours and 11 minutes
• OTT platform: Disney+Hotstar

Shashank Khaitan is known for directing romantic films: the Dulhania franchise and Janhvi Kapoor’s Dhadak. With Govinda Naam Mera, the director switches gears by mixing comedy with thriller.

It starts in a certain manner but soon goes on a different path altogether. Shashank Khaitan’s direction isn’t watertight but it is an enjoyable watch.

Govinda Naam Mera tells the story of a Bollywood background dancer Govinda Waghmare (Vicky Kaushal). He is also an aspiring choreographer.

Govinda is petrified of his spouse Gauri (Bhumi Pednekar). They live in a mansion in the heart of Mumbai but the mansion is caught in a legal dispute, thanks to Govinda’s father Gopi Vishwakarma (Wilson Tiger).

Vishwakarma is married to Charulata (Veenah Naair) and they have a son. However, he has an affair with Govinda’s mother Asha Waghmare (Renuka Shahane). Vishwakarma leaves the mansion for Asha when he dies.

Since then, Asha and Charulata keep fighting in court for the ownership of the mansion.

Additionally, Govinda’s marriage is in deep trouble. He is in love with his fellow background dancer Sukku (Kiara Advani) who wants him to leave Gauri, but it is easier said than done.

Fed up with Gauri’s behaviour, Govinda buys a gun for ₹2 lakh from inspector Javed (Dayanand Shetty). However, he doesn’t have the guts to shoot her.

Things take a turn when Govinda and Sukku are asked to choreograph a music video for Sandeep Dharkar aka Sandy (Jeeva), son of the dreaded politician Ajit Dharkar (Sayaji Shinde).

They agree but things don’t go according to plan. Ajit is furious with how the video turned out. Instead of paying the amount, he asks them for a refund.

In short, Govinda’s problems are aplenty. At this point, things change for the better but it doesn’t last long. He gets embroiled in a murder mystery.

The rest of the story is about how he gets out of all this mess and what happens to his dream of being a choreographer, among other aspects.

Over-the-top yet amusing to watch

Director Shashank Khaitan wastes no time in setting up the world of Govinda. His love for Sukku and his fear of Gauri makes you invested.

The scenes depicting the legal dispute are showcased in a light-hearted manner.

These portions are quite over-the-top but are amusing to watch. Ranbir Kapoor’s cameo has also been smartly integrated.

Sukku is a fan of Ranbir Kapoor, while Govinda is a fan of Ranveer. The interaction between Vicky and Ranbir is short but it brings a smile to your face.

There is also a reference to Brahmastra 2 when Ranbir talks about Ranveer playing the lead in his next production. It is a nice meta-touch.

Things slow down in the middle but the film becomes more engaging when Govinda gets embroiled in a murder mystery. From here on, there are some interesting twists and turns, particularly with the characters of Sukku and Govinda.

The final 30 minutes are particularly gripping and the ending does catch you off guard.

On the flip side, some of the plot points come across as contrived. A chase scene involving Govinda and Sandy in the second half could have been easily avoided.

Bhumi Pednekar as Gauri suffers from a sketchy characterisation. Her family background is never properly established and this reduces the impact of the character.

Vicky Kaushal’s best commercial outing

Talking about performances, Vicky Kaushal handles his role with ease. This is Vicky’s most commercial outing so far and the actor doesn’t look out of place in any scene.

His comic timing coupled with his energy propels the narrative in a big way.

Kiara looks beautiful as always but more importantly, she has a good part to play. The actress did a good job. A special mention must be made of her outburst in the second half.

Bhumi Pednekar is loud as required but there is nothing memorable.

Renuka Shahane wholeheartedly embraces the quirkiness of her character. She is fun to watch in her whacky avatar.

The music goes well with the mood of the film. The “Bijli” song, in particular, is energetic and has been well-choreographed by Ganesh Acharya.

Govinda Naam Mera isn’t a masterpiece. But, at the same time, it is not something that will make the audiences tear their hair in frustration.