• Tech
    • Best Products Guides
    • Phones
    • Laptops
  • Entertainment
    • Top 5 new movies and TV series
    • Top 5 new Indian movies and shows
    • New on Netflix
    • New on Prime Video
    • Indian Languages
      • New Hindi movies and TV shows
      • New Malayalam movies and TV shows
      • New Tamil movies and serials
      • New Telugu movies and serials
  • Video Games
    • Best New Game Releases
    • Best PC Games
    • Best PS5 Games
    • Best Xbox Games
Sticky
Asia Cup 2023 Live Streaming in the UAE: How to Watch the Asia Cup 2023 Cricket Tournament

Asia Cup 2023 Live Streaming in the UAE: How to watch the matches and standings

24/08/2023
Immortals of Aveum - Best Video Games Releases For August 2023

Baldur’s Gate 3 and Armored Core VI: 7 Best Video Games Releases For August 2023

03/08/2023
Poco X5: Best phones under 1000 AED

Best Phones under 1000 AED in the UAE for 2023: Smartphones that don’t break your bank

24/04/2023
Facebook Twitter Instagram TikTok YouTube RSS
TbreakTbreak
  • Tech
    • Best Products Guides
    • Phones
    • Laptops
  • Entertainment
    • Top 5 new movies and TV series
    • Top 5 new Indian movies and shows
    • New on Netflix
    • New on Prime Video
    • Indian Languages
      • New Hindi movies and TV shows
      • New Malayalam movies and TV shows
      • New Tamil movies and serials
      • New Telugu movies and serials
  • Video Games
    • Best New Game Releases
    • Best PC Games
    • Best PS5 Games
    • Best Xbox Games
Newsletters
TbreakTbreak
Home / Entertainment

Chhatriwali review: Men, the ball is in your court

Balakumar KuppuswamyBy Balakumar KuppuswamyUpdated:20/06/20234 Mins Read
Share WhatsApp Facebook Twitter Email
Chhatriwali Review

Director: Tejas Deoskar
Cast: Rakul Preet Singh, Sumeet Vyas, Satish Kaushik, Dolly Ahluwalia, Rajesh Tailang and Prachee Shah Paandya

Chhatriwali review

It’s refreshing to see Bollywood shed its irritating coy and conservative attitude and address some societal taboo subjects (mostly around sex and sexism) through films. Recently we had Vicky Donor that spoke boldly about sperm donation. A film like Doctor G was about male doctors taking up gynaecology. Now, we have Chhatriwali, which pushes the envelope for sexual education and the use of male contraceptives (condoms). 

  • 20 new Hindi movies and TV shows to watch in the UAE
  • New Zee5 movies and series in the UAE for June 2023
  • 10 best Hindi movies on Netflix that are under-rated

Let us start with a confession: the title ‘Chhatriwali’ did not inspire much confidence. For, ‘chhatri’ is the Hindi word for umbrella, which is the oft-used wink-wink nudge-nudge euphemism for condoms in Hindi (case in point, Aparshakti Khurrana’s 2021 film Helmet). Using such a term when trying to break such an attitude seems a bit ironic. Fortunately, the film does not tip-toe around the issue but confronts it in an agreeably fun manner. Another fear with such a title was whether the makers would end up with a crass offering filled with double-entendre lines under the guise of a much-needed film on sex education. That too, mercifully, is not the case.

Chhatriwali sticks to the issue at hand diligently and makes all the right noises entertainingly. The story, as was with the 2022 film Janhit Mein Jaari, is about how a young woman ends up in the rolls of a condom factory in a small town in the Hindi heartland filled with conservative mores and prudish attitudes.

The story, set in Karnal (Haryana), is about Sanya Dhingra (Rakul Preet Singh), a chemistry teacher, who needs more income to shore up her family’s financial situation. As it happens, she becomes the quality control person at ‘Can Do Condoms’ factory.

Of course, her family is too old-school — her husband (Sumeet Vyas) runs a small shop that deals in puja items, so she lies to them that she works in an umbrella factory. Her brother-in-law is such a prude that despite being a biology teacher he sidesteps teaching sex education. He is also the type to shy away from using male contraceptives even if it means his wife has to suffer many health complications thanks to popping contraceptive pills. The town is no less hidebound, and one of the medical shops does not even sell male condoms. 

Sanya too is initially reluctant in her job, and over the course of time she wraps her head around the importance of work, and more importantly the need for sex education. Once the secret is out that she is working in a contraceptive factory, things get tough for her in the family and community. But she remains steadfast in her convictions.

A film of this nature, which has a message at its core, sometimes brings a metaphorical megaphone to drive home that. Chhatriwali is preachy at places (inevitable, when you get down to it) but not loud. It is not also lewd even if a dialogue or two is in that territory (again understandable, considering the territory).

Rakul Preet Singh, whom we saw as a gynaecologist in DoctorG, is impressive in a role that gives her good scope to parade her skills. Mostly reduced to being eye candy in most films, her Rakul has an author-backed character, and the comely actress is in fine form. 

The gaggle of characters around her, Sumeet Vyas (her husband), Rajesh Tailang (her brother-in-law), Prachee Shah (his wife), veteran Satish Kaushik (condom factory owner), Rakesh Bedi (local chemist) have all good parts to play, and they have acquitted themselves more than adequately.

But there is a certain one-dimension to all the characters, and the end seems a tad pat. But the larger message that men need to be more responsible in matters of marital sex comes across well as it should. The director sticks to the predictable path- better to be safe than sorry. 

Chhatriwali streams on Zee5 from January 20


Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription.

Chhatriwali

Director: Tejas Deoskar

Date Created: 2023-01-20 21:13

Editor's Rating:
3.5
Hindi Zee5
Share. WhatsApp Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Reddit Email
Avatar photo
Balakumar Kuppuswamy

An engineer-turned-journalist, K Balakumar's career began in print publications in the mid-90s --- verily, the glorious days of Indian journalism. After that, well, the industry saw very little of any glory. But you can't hold that against him. He started as a sports writer, primarily covering cricket and tennis. But sports, which provides a philosophical heft to his life, also opened the doors for other journalistic avenues like films, music, finance, technology and politics, which nobody can escape in India. After 30 yrs in mainstream journalism, now a freelancer for various digital publications.

You May Also Like

OMG 2 review

OMG 2 Review: The right message makes you ignore the wrong method

Disney Plus Logo

Best New Indian Movies and Web Series on Disney+

Tu Jhoothi Main Makkaar - Best new Hindi movies

20 new Hindi movies and TV shows to watch in the UAE

Vaathi - Best new Tamil Movies and Shows

20 New Tamil movies and serials to watch in the UAE

SonyLiv Logo

Best new SonyLiv movies and series for June 2023

Zee5 Logo

New Zee5 movies and series in the UAE for June 2023

Previous ArticleOppo Find N2 Flip: Is this the best flip phone?
Next Article Which MacBook should you buy? The MacBook Pro or MacBook Air
Gadget of the Week
3-in-1 Wireless Charger Desk Lamp

This 3-in-1 Wireless Charger Desk Lamp is an Excellent Bedside Companion

Latest on Tbreak
97 minutes

97 Minutes review: Probably the worst action movie of the year

Mortal Kombat 1 Review roundup
8.3

Mortal Kombat 1 – Review Roundup

Mark Antony review: SJ Suryah makes this tricky time travel tale tick

Who Is Erin Carter? Review: Creative Action Scenes, Humour, and Heart

Marvel's Spider-Man 2 Will Feature Ray-Tracing Across All Visual Modes

Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 Will Feature Ray-Tracing Across All Visual Modes

Don't Miss
Mark Antony - top 5 indian movies to watch this week Entertainment

Mark Antony + Kasargold : Top 5 new Indian movies and TV shows to watch in the UAE this week

A Haunting in Venice - Top 5 new movies to watch this week Entertainment

A Haunting in Venice + Sympathy for the Devil: Top 5 new movies and TV series to watch in the UAE this week

Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra Review Tech

Best Phones in UAE for 2023 – Top Smartphones

Asia Cup 2023 Live Streaming in the UAE: How to Watch the Asia Cup 2023 Cricket Tournament Entertainment

Asia Cup 2023 Live Streaming in the UAE: How to watch the matches and standings

Poco X5 Pro: best phones under 2000 AED Tech

Best phones under 2000 AED in the UAE for 2023: Flagship killer smartphones

Tbreak Media

Tbreak is the OG tech website from the Middle East that started in 1999. Over the decades, Tbreak has morphed and re-invented itself many times bringing brands like CNet, IGN, TechRadar and PC Mag to the Middle East. We also arrange massive Gaming themed events in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the rest of the GCC.

Copyright © 1999-2023 Tbreak Internet Content Provider

97 minutes

97 Minutes review: Probably the worst action movie of the year

Mortal Kombat 1 Review roundup
8.3

Mortal Kombat 1 – Review Roundup

Mark Antony review: SJ Suryah makes this tricky time travel tale tick

Contact Us

Feel free to contact us for sales, editorial, events, or, to simply say hi. Please use the following email addresses to reach out:

Editorial: editor@tbreak.com
Sales: sales@tbreak.com
Events: events@tbreak.com
Everything else: admin@tbreak.com

Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube LinkedIn TikTok RSS

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.

  • English