By: Amit KumaR Agarwal
Peer pressure, bullying and the desire to fit in; how many schools in India 'really' take care of your children. Do you, as a parent, take care of your child or children in 'essence'. India is the most populous nation in the world, yet how many parents are 'fit' to parent. These very important questions are juxtaposed in the plot of OMG 2, which at core has the importance of the need of sex-education in schools. Does the film succeed, read on.
Kantilal Mudgal (Pankaj Tripathi) is a devotee of God Shiv. However, he is to undergo the biggest test of his life when his school-going son Vivek (Aarush Varma) is dismissed from school after a video showing him masturbating in the school toilet goes viral. Rather than understanding his son, Kantilal slaps him.
However, God Shiv sends one of his ganas (Akshay Kumar) to help Kantilal out. Gana guides Kantilal to file a case in court against school to initiate sex-education in school. Kantilal drags the school to court for not imparting sex education to students. Reinstatement of his son in the school and for apology. When his lawyer leaves, he argues his case himself against the defending lawyer Kamini (Yami Gautam Dhar) in the court of judge Purushottam Nagar (Pavan Malhotra).
Today when there is increasing awareness amongst youth in matters related to sex, isn't there a need for sex-education. Who do teenagers discuss sex with, when sex is widely considered taboo, more so in India. How did the country that wrote the epic Kamasutra and was always open about sex, became closed, was it 1200-years of oppressive rule?
The subject touches these very important issues though only in a superficial manner and this fact makes the very important subject, not realize it's full potential.
While Amit Rai gets full points as a director, as a writer he ought to have given a closure to the film with the boy who committed wrong against Vivek brought to book. Poetic justice!
All the actors have done a great job. Akshay Kumar shines in an extended cameo. Pankaj Tripathi gives his career-best performance. Yami Gautam brings the right amount of shrewdness in her character, just watch the scene where Pankaj praises her beauty in court and she silences her husband. Brijendra Kala brings the house down in the scene as the sexologist. Pavan Malhotra does well as the judge. Rajan Bhise is absolutely fantastic as the stenographer-typist explaining with actions chaste hindi to the judge; but it is Aarush Varma as Vivek, Kantilal’s son, the real find of the movie - the way he enacts a wronged teen, is simply astounding. Many teens undergoing a similar situation would identify with him.
Even after few shortcomings, I feel this is a very important film for each and every teen to see, not to succumb to peer pressure and bullying and be confident about self; but then the film is certified as adults. I hope the film is made universal, as this is a very important topic that all ought to see, the parents as well as the teens.