"Gym aur Diet jaise naye dost banane ki koshish ki, magar unn saalo
ki yaari na pakki nahi thi."
Spoilers ahead...
Plot: Talks About Fat Shaming with Sonakshi Sinha and Huma Qureshi in the Lead
Two
overweight women, Saira Khanna (Sonakshi Sinha) and Rajshree Trivedi (Huma
Qureshi), have dreams like anyone else. Saira wants to open her own fashion
brand, while Rajshree aims to be a successful sports (cricket) presenter. Both
fail, not because they lack talent, but because their weight means
opportunities land in other people's hands. A chance meeting between Saira and
Rajshree connects them, and they both go to London to try to make their dreams
come true.
It's a
taboo topic initially approached well when we see how a guy taunts Rajshree,
telling her she may need to lose weight to be a sports presenter. This harsh
truth highlights the very low number of plus-size female presenters. The
fat-shaming isn't limited to the two industries shown in the film; it’s
something prevalent everywhere, often normalized, as seen in many movies.
Poor Decision to Keep Double XL Too LightHearted
Unfortunately,
the topic isn't explored as it should have been. Only one outburst scene stands
out, where Rajshree's audition is canceled because her photo suggested low
viewership for the 'sports presenter' job, despite her talent. This scene, free
of comical background music, genuinely conveys Rajshree's pain. It's a pity
that in her short interview with Kapil Dev (who plays himself), the voice is
cut off, rendering the scene ineffective.
The love
interests of Saira and Rajshree, played by Zoravar Rehmani (Zaheer Iqbal) and
Srikanth Sreevardhan (Mahat Raghavendra), have some funny moments but often
derail the movie from its main topic. Some scenes feel cringe-worthy. The
message that it's okay to be overweight shouldn't come at the expense of
promoting unhealthy eating habits. A scene where Saira and Rajshree overeat
junk food to feel better could have been impactful if shot without the
prevailing comical tone, similar to a scene in The Whale. Additionally,
Saira's fashion designs in the final act didn’t seem flattering, making it hard
to appreciate.
Emotional Impact and Missed Opportunities in Double XL
Both
Sonakshi Sinha and Huma Qureshi are suited for their roles but needed a more
serious script and better execution of the topic, which feels lost in the
second half.
Among the
supporting cast, Shobha Khote and Kanwaljeet Singh are underutilized, lacking
meaningful scenes. Jimmy Shergill's cameo is a rare well-written moment.
The
performances by Sonakshi Sinha and Huma Qureshi highlight their potential in
serious roles, but the script does not fully support their efforts. The
supporting cast fails to leave a significant impact due to underdeveloped
roles.
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