Vickida No Varghodo is not just a family entertainer but a hilarious joy ride, says Malhar Thakar

The Gujarati film Vickida No Varghodo (2022), out now in theatres, stars Malhar Thakar, M Monal Gujjar, Jhinal Belani, Manasi Rachh, Anurag Prapanna, Alpana Buch, Anant Velani and Chirayu Mistry.

The cast and crew of the family film were in Mumbai for the premiere of their comedy feature and spoke about the out-and-out comic caper. The film revolves around title character Vicky’s love life and how his past takes his present on a roller-coaster ride.

Malhar Thakar, who plays the titular groom, described him as a ‘fantastic, lovable, boy-next-door character’. “Audience wants to see me playing such characters and they love me for this," he said. "The film's name Vickida No Varghodo is apt because this film is all about marriage, baraat and a lot of family drama.”

Calling Vicky a relatable character, Thakar said, “The best part of him is [his] honest and clear intentions. But he gets into a lot of trouble for his honesty. Vickida No Varghodo is not just a family entertainer but it's a hilarious joy ride.”

His co-star M Monal Gajjar believes the golden era of Gujarati cinema is back. She said, “The right producer always knows the right investment in talent, script, and hence the final product is outstanding. I think everybody is putting so much effort here. We can see so many good movies coming now like Nadi Dosh (2022), Vickida No Varghodo, etc. We have audiences coming to [the] theatre to watch Gujarati cinema.”

She added, “When you watch Vickida No Varghodo, you will realize that the story is completely urban. I hope this will be taken well and help us reach the youth today.”

Manasi Rachh plays a student in this film, like in her previous feature Student Of The Year (2012). She said, “I am playing Vidhya, who is really naughty. She is not a simple girl. Instead she will rag everyone, keep her ambitions and dreams ahead of everything else. We had a blast while shooting Vickida No Varghodo and all the crew members had a lot of fun.”

Jinal Belani plays Radhika, who is Vicky’s first love. About her role and the film's premiere in Mumbai, Belani said, “I play a schoolgirl and it’s so nostalgic to play that part and relive school life and experience [the] innocence of first love. Since I am born and bought up in Mumbai, I always wanted that my movies should get promoted in my hometown. Even general film collection data shows that 30% of collections are from Mumbai. We have a huge Gujarati audience here who are ready to support and appreciate our culture.”

Vickida No Varghodo is written, directed and edited by Rahul Bhole and Vinit Kanojia, who earlier made the National award-winning Reva (2018). They opted for lighter fare after their previous film. The directors stated, “Reva was based on a novel. After winning the National award for it, whoever used to meet us would ask which novel we were making a movie on next. Basically, people got the impression that we were 'serious' filmmakers. We did not want people to typecast us and hence wanted to try something different. That’s why we chose Vickida No Varghodo, which is a light-hearted family entertainer.”

Sharad Patel, founder of SP Cinecrop and producer of Vickida No Varghodo, said he was confident of the film. “I have produced a mixed bag of films in terms of language and content," he said. "While some dealt with suppressed issues in India, others were pure entertainers. The audience enjoyed them all. I have always focused on content that will connect with the audience and every time it has been accepted. I am confident that Vickida No Varghodo will also be loved by the masses.”

Producer Shreyanshi Patel, co-founder of SP Cinecorp, added, “Gujarati cinema is on the runway, ready to take off and reach high, and my film is the perfect starter. It is a funny, entertaining ride and I urge the audience to watch the film in theatres and show their support.”

Produced by SP Cinecorp, in collaboration with Ajay Shroff, Pankaj Keshruwala and Vikas Agarwal of Janvi Productions, and Ashissh Pattel and Nirav Patel of Rishiv Films, and co-produced by Pritish Shah of Sun Outdoors, Vickida No Varghodo was released  in theatres on 8 July.