Sharmajee Ki Beti Review: Inspirational and Overly Simple

Amazon Prime Video’s newest release is the drama film Sharmajee Ki Beti which showcases multigenerational issues faced by women in different Sharma families. This is Tahira Kashyap Khurrana’s directorial debut and the movie has a runtime of 116 minutes.

Dealing with women’s dreams, ambitions and the upward struggle that we face from a very young age and the expectations that society and sometimes we ourselves put on us, Sharmajee Ki Beti is a sweet and relatable movie that deals with the struggles of 5 different women from different generations, all with the surname Sharma. The movie tries its best to juggle the different storylines and give them a common thread to come back to as they deal with the ups and downs of their lives.

The movie’s story is simple and uncomplicated, with all the different stories something that we have watched previously in other similar movies. Sharmajee Ki Beti starts off with an odd voiceover by Time (or something) which never comes up later on. It doesn’t really explain why that was added, which is a surprise because the movie overexplains everything else that comes after. Swati Sharma is the first little one we follow, who is on the cusp of adulthood as she desperately wants to get her period. She is generally unhappy with her life because she craves to be “womanly” but that time hasn’t come for her yet. On the other hand, we have her best friend Gurveen Sharma, whose issues with her hair might just point to a bigger change in her life.

Then we have their parents – Swati’s parents Jyoti and Sudhir are a loving husband and wife couple and their relationship, if hectic, is otherwise perfect while Gurveen’s parents Kiran and Vinod might just be strangers. Lastly, we have Tanvi Sharma, a cricketer whose relationship with her struggling actor boyfriend is constantly on the brink because she is not girly enough.

All of these women’s issues are relatable to the mango people as our everyday lives reflect all of these issues in one way or another. Whether it be the loneliness that Kiran feels or feeling like her passions are less than in the eyes of her daughter, as with Jyoti. Meanwhile, the kids’ growing personalities and bodies are also problems that young women face as it’s a struggle for almost everyone. The question, however, is not whether or not the subject matter is relatable. Movies like these usually are because these issues are well documented over the years. The issue is that the Sharmajee Ki Beti doesn’t leave any space for nuance or subtlety.

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Every issue portrayed, every feeling felt and every conclusion reached is done so with utmost force and breakdown, so much so that you are not allowed to feel anything for yourself. Jyoti stands on the stage and expresses exactly what the issue with her character is and how she is feeling happy even through the negativity in her life while Kiran flashbacks and flashforwards constantly to showcase her innermost feelings, not letting the audience feel them with the characters in their own way. Plus, Saiyami Kher’s storyline is so stale, giving her character no place to explore and nothing to showcase. Thus, albeit oversimplified, the other four ladies’ stories are the more delightful ones.

Most of the story of Sharmajee Ki Beti is also light-hearted and there’s a ton of light comedy. I liked the comedy and although it didn’t make me roll on the floor, it did put a smile on my face. In the end, this is an uncomplicated and light watch that will have you reminiscing about your past while you tackle the problems of the present. All the performances are great as well, with Vanshika Taparia delivering a solid monologue.

Sharmajee Ki Beti Review: Final Thoughts

Sharmajee Ki Beti is a relatable and fun watch in which, strangely, Sharib Hashmi’s Sudhir is the most memorable. The movie is quite long but the story keeps it light and frothy and the incessant over-explanations are what stop it from being memorable. There are some cliches here as well but it ends on a positive note that might be inspirational for many.

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