New Delhi: There are four kinds of films. One, which you don't go back to often because they are treasured for the experience they give you every time you watch them. Two, the kind of films which you might revisit often because of memorable elements like their music, sequences, actors etc. Third, the kind which are the average feel-good slice-of-life films which could be revisited very often not just because they champion escapism at their core but also because they just make you feel good about life or some part of it. Fourth, which are never ever seen again for multiple reasons. 'Double XL' belongs to the 3rd kind of film. This Huma Qureshi, Sonakshi Sinha, Zaheer Iqbal and Mahat Raghavendra starrer is a predictable, average run of a feature film.
Directed by Satram Ramani, 'Double XL' begins with the interlacing narratives of two plus-sized women, Sonakshi Sinha and Huma Qureshi until they meet in the most cringe( and predictable) pattern, take the 'pran' to take their life into their own hands and chase their dreams.
The syntax of Huma Qureshi's character as Rajshri Trivedi from Meerut, a 30-year-old woman without a career but a passion for sports is a great character arch to start and does create a solid start but the superficiality of another character, that played by Sonakshi Sinha as Saira Khanna dilutes it.
Huma is a natural from the first frame but a bad screenplay with a loss of genuine dialogue can land any artist in fix. To overshadow such gaps, 'Double XL' has a second character story, that of Sonakshi chasing her dreams to become a fashion designer.
However, 'Double XL' at its core is a coming-of-age comedy drama about Huma's character finding herself for most part. For some reason, I felt that even Sonakshi Sinha's character was playing the sidekick to that of Huma.
Returning to the plot of 'Double XL', Saira and Rajshri go to London to fulfill their dreams where the metaphor of travel( duniya dekhna) widens the characters' horizons until they return fully transformed and more empowered than before. This premise is then loaded with the issue of being above average sized women in 30s battling stereotypes and marriage along the way.
The marriage card, like in most such films, is played well and in all honesty; a topic our society is predominantly obsessed with. Huma plays this obedient daughter of a woman who tackled body-shaming in her own youth.
The slamming-beauty standards card by both Sonakshi and Huma as done in accordance with the script feels slightly in-the-face, preachy and overused.The social message keeda comes in as Sonakshi talks about conventional beauty standards set by society per se.
Sonakshi's performance lands in parts but a little less of frowning would go a long way in polishing the actor's performance.
Zaheer Iqbal is this gold-hearted man of a Cindrella's godmother figure who roams around London fulfilling dreams of genuine women. His performance has a notch extra element than required.
In that respect, Mahat Raghavendra shines in scenes with Huma and their chemistry feels as organic as does the superficiality of that of Zaheer and Sonakshi's characters. It could perhaps be the writing, but these parts just don't land.
Then there is some movement with camera, a light experiment with form in shooting sequences of fashion catalog which also looks cliche. The background score of 'Double XL' suits the genre of the film without making any serious deviations thankfully.
While the first half of 'Double XL' is building for that moment of transformation and self-empowerment and self-love, the second half is slightly better in terms of the performances. The closure of the film will remind audiences of season 2 of 'Masaba Masaba' with Saira Khanna beginning to design clothes for women of all sizes and shapes and the rest of it barring a romantic song sequence is reasonably watchable.
In all, 'Double XL' has only its heart in the right place with a well-intentioned premise which could have been delivered in a better manner.