This World Smile Day, watch these intelligent comedies that provoke thought and laughter

Watch ‘Doctor G’, ‘Fakt Purusho Maate’, ‘Stree-2’, ‘Madgaon Express’ and ‘Khosla ka Ghosla’ for entertainment steeped in social commentary

Comedy can carry a considerable punch when laced with a social message. This World Smile Day (October 4), watch films that make you think deeply even as they trigger laughter and mirth.

Doctor G

Directed by Anubhuti Kashyap, ‘Doctor G’ exemplifies the power of subtly conveying a serious message wrapped in humour. It tells the story of Dr Uday Gupta, played by Ayushmann Khurrana, who, despite his passion for orthopedics, ends up in gynaecology. Balancing hilarious moments with heartfelt situations, the film talks about societal and health-related inequalities that women face. Rakul Preet Singh, Sheeba Chaddha, Indraneil Sengupta, and Shefali Shah also deliver notable performances. Produced by Junglee Pictures and distributed by Anand Pandit Motion Pictures, ‘Doctor G’ is currently streaming on Netflix.

Stree 2

The latest installment of the Maddock Supernatural Universe, ‘Stree 2’, is a sequel to the superhit ‘Stree’ (2018). The fun-filled entertainer stars Rajkummar Rao, Shraddha Kapoor, Pankaj Tripathi, Abhishek Banerjee, and Aparshakti Khurana in major roles. The story follows Vicky (Rao) and his friends’ efforts to defeat Sarkata, a headless malevolent entity abducting the women of Chanderi town. Written by Niren Bhatt and directed by Amar Kaushik, ‘Stree 2’ is an interesting comment on unequal gender equations. It became one of Hindi cinema’s biggest grossers of 2024, amassing Rs 6,00 crore in 39 days. The movie will be streaming on Amazon Prime.

Fakt Purusho Maate (Gujarati)

‘Fakt Purusho Maate,’ primarily revolves around themes of patriarchy and gender equality and has been appreciated not only for its hilarity but its pertinent message. The cameo by Amitabh Bachchan, portraying Prabhudas, is one of the major highlights of the movie, which has been one of the big hits in Gujarati cinema this year. Written and directed by Parth Trivedi and Jay Bodas, the film features memorable performances by Yash Soni, Darshan Jariwala, Mitra Gadhavi, Esha Kansara, and Aarti Patel. Produced by Anand Pandit and Vaishal Shah, the movie released on August 23, is running successfully in theatres.

Madgaon Express

‘Madgaon Express’ is a clever comedy set on a train speeding from Mumbai to Goa. As a group of quirky passengers find themselves embroiled in a series of mishaps, the humour escalates as the journey progresses. The film explores how social media creates the need to present a certain image even among friends. Divyenndu, Pratik Gandhi, Avinash Tiwary and Nora Fatehi feature in this comedy that promises a fast-paced, laugh-out-loud experience. Directed by Kunal Khemu and produced by Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani, ‘Madgaon Express’ is available on Amazon Prime.

Khosla Ka Ghosla

This 2006 classic started a new wave of relatable comedies in Hindi cinema and revolves around nefarious land grab schemes in Delhi. Directed by Dibakar Banerjee and produced by Taandav Films and UTV Motion Pictures, the film narrates how a middle-class retiree and his family reclaim their land which had been seized by a greedy builder. It stars Anupam Kher, Boman Irani, Parvin Dabas, Vinay Pathak, Ranvir Shorey and Tara Sharma in the lead roles. The movie won the nod for Best Feature Film in Hindi at the 54th National Film Award.