Review : Single Salma Explores India’s Obsession With Marriage!

Movies on female empowerment do have their own audience. In fact, Kangana Ranaut-starrer Queen was a milestone, and the recently released Single Salma appears to follow in that film’s footsteps. Single Salma captures the spirit of Queen, exploring India’s obsession with marriage and the chaos that follows when a 30-plus bride-to-be finds herself caught between two prospective grooms and one wild ride.

Salma Rizvi (#HumaQureshi) works as an assistant engineer at the Lucknow Municipal Corporation and lives with her parents and siblings. She is 33 years old, unmarried, and the sole breadwinner of her family. On her mother’s insistence, she goes for meetups with suitors for an arranged marriage. She meets Sikandar Khan (#ShreyasTalpade), the owner of a boutique selling wedding clothes, and is drawn to his understanding nature. She agrees to marry him.

When Salma decides to go to London on a work-related trip, everyone opposes the idea except Sikandar. In London, Salma discovers her independent streak and even strikes up a friendship with an attractive local, Meet Singh (Sunny Singh). One thing leads to another, and soon Salma finds herself with two grooms arriving with their baraats on her wedding day. What happens next is interesting to watch.

The subject isn’t novel, and the situations shown in the film differ quite a bit from the realities of present-day Lucknow. The screenplay is a tad slow, but some dialogues infuse both humor and emotion. Director Nachiket Samant has attempted to deliver a message, though it doesn’t quite land effectively. He keeps the proceedings simple, with predictable events and a sluggish pace. The music, too, fails to elevate the film in any way.

Huma Qureshi is impressive, though the weak screenplay lets her down. She carries the film on her strong shoulders with ease and delivers a convincing performance. Shreyas Talpade adds intensity and uses his impeccable comic timing to make his role more engaging. The supporting cast including Kawaljeet Singh, Shiv Kanugo, and Sachin Kavetham lend good support, while Nidhi Singh shines as Salma’s best friend.

Single Salma will need a lot of prayers to succeed at the box office.

Rating: **1/2

By Keerti Kadam