Why is sex education still prohibited in schools in a nation that is so preoccupied with sex and porn? Given that many people believe India to be the home of the kamasutra, why do Indian parents and educators avoid having open conversations about sex with children? Why is the chapter on reproduction conveniently ignored and never taught correctly if biology is a subject taught in schools? These points are presented in OMG 2 with a lot of humor, which prevents the movie from getting too preachy and keeps it quite entertaining. The subject of sex education has been thoughtfully discussed by writer-director Amit Rai without being silly or offensive.
The story follows Kanti Sharan Mudgal (Pankaj Tripathi), a devoted follower of Lord Shiva who owns a pooja shop next to a temple, is a loving husband, adoring father to two children, and an all-around decent person. His life is turned upside down when his son Vivek (Aarush Verma) is expelled from school on the grounds of obscene and vulgar behavior and is hospitalized due to exhaustion brought on by excessive masturbation (also known as a “selfie”) after a video of him performing the act in the school bathroom went viral online.
When Kanti plans to flee with his family to avoid being shunned, the messenger of God (Akshay Kumar) appears to lead him and set him on a moral course so that he can fight for his son. When Kanti realizes that his son has truly been the victim of disinformation and misdirection, he decides to take matters into his own hands. He takes the school administration, babas, sex therapists, a doctor, and a chemist who helped Vivek become aware of his sexual needs to court. He is then paired against Kamini Maheshwari, an English-speaking attorney (Yami Gautam), and the two argue in front of Judge Purushotam Nagar (Pavan Malhotra).
The film’s star is Amit Rai’s brave yet tender writing, which enhances a socially important narrative. He doesn’t think twice about labeling something as a spade. For instance, the movie asks a vital question regarding why people use slang or give names to penis and vagina rather than calling them by their proper names. Tripathi refers to the penis as “ling” and the vagina as “stree ki yoni” in one of the scenes while attempting to demonstrate how sex education should be taught in schools, and at no point does this make the listener feel uneasy.
OMG 2 makes a real effort to bridge the communication gap that exists between Indian parents and their children when it comes to having a conversation about physical intimacy. The progressive outlook that the movie attempts to convey through its characters effectively reaches us, and with some perceptive lines, it makes an impression that lasts. I also like that Rai didn’t add too many subplots and kept his attention on emphasizing the value of sex education.
OMG 2 belongs to Pankaj Tripathi, aside from the storyline, and he carries the movie on his shoulders with ease. Of course, Akshay Kumar provides competent support in his lengthy cameo, but Tripathi is a pleasure to see on film. It is so sophisticated and masterfully executed, from every word he says to every action he makes, that it merits applause. His mastery of the language is unsurpassed, yet occasionally the dialogues in pure Hindi get a bit hard to take. However, he tries to interpret them into plainer Hindi, and things resume.
In the courtroom scenes, Yami holds her own as the scary defendant and gives a compelling portrayal. Akshay is simply amazing in his role as the divine messenger (he was originally going to play Lord Shiva, but the CBFC changed that, therefore his character was changed). He exudes a divine’swag’ with those deadlocks, that godlike smile, and the harem trousers. Kumar performs a tandav in the pre-interval segment that depicts a Shivratri moment that is really wonderful and not to be missed. I admired how Kumar never once overshadowed Tripathi despite his star power and commanding screen presence; rather, he elevated his scenes and let Tripathi shine throughout.
The newest entry in the OMG franchise is a completely new tale, albeit sharing certain similarities with the premise of part one. Examples include the divine intervention that motivates a believer to defend his own rights, the courtroom setting, the hospital scene before to the climax, and the significance of books in helping the protagonist realize that all the answers are contained in the literature that has already been written centuries ago.
OMG 2 is the kind of movie that is best enjoyed as a family since it closes the communication gap that has long existed between parents and children who are uncomfortable discussing certain subjects. The movie creates a forum for discussions about the need to normalize sex education. You’ll grin when you watch it with your children and perhaps have a wider perspective when you get home.
