Doctor G: A movie that’s all about gynaecology, but one that’s going to win your heart

If you've got an issue in society that you have got to address, and have to do so in a way that doesn’t sound preachy, who do you call? Who else, but Ayushmann Khurrana. Be it as a sperm donor (Vicky Donor), falling in love with a person not for her appearance but her personality (Dum Laga Ke Haisha), talking about erectile dysfunction (Shubh Mangal Saavdhan), couples in their late 50s/early 60s becoming parents, again (Badhaai Ho), baldness (Bala), or being gay in Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan, Ayushmann is every bit awesome, as he is sincere and charming in each of these. This Friday saw another name added to the list—Doctor G, one where he plays a male gynaecologist. And much to no one’s surprise, he smashes it out of the park leaving you smiling from the start right till the very end. 

If you're a guy, ask your female friends why they’re far more comfortable visiting a female gynac than a male one. This is the thinking that director Anubhuti Kashyap wants to change via the film. It’s not just the patients who have apprehensions about a male doctor checking their private parts, but Khurrana’s character Uday as well. After all, he doesn’t want to treat a body part that he doesn’t have. How is the situation going to change, if his mindset doesn’t? ‘Private matters’ eventually lead to a change of heart for Uday and we get a doctor in fine form. 

As I mentioned earlier, the film isn’t preachy and does have some moments that stand out. Take for example Uday’s very first delivery, or the scene that soon follows after, where the parents of a newborn name their son after him. The emotions are high, but at no point does the drama become sappy. Is there anyone who plays the mother better than Sheeba Chadha in films and web series these days? I think not. Chadha is absolutely brilliant and gets some memorable one-liners that will have you cheering for her throughout (a scene with Khurrana about sacrifice is absolutely top-notch). Dr. Nandini Srivastav (Shefali Shah), as Uday’s senior, plays her part to perfection as the disciplinarian and stickler for rules. She may be strict, but she has a side that roots for Uday. And it’s heartwarming to see her smile at the end of this film where she eventually realizes that he is a doctor who's got his heart in the right place. 

What I loved the most about Doctor G, is that it shows why and how a male doctor in this field might think of himself as an underdog or an outcast compared to his female peers. Even though there’s absolutely no reason for it to exist, it is one that sadly does. We will eventually get to a stage where one doesn’t think about visiting a male or a female doctor but simply visiting a doctor. Why should gender matter? Just as Shah’s character advises Khurrana, “You have to lose the male touch”, we, as people too, have to do the same. We’ve got a long way to go, and Doctor G, just like the many infants in the film, enables us to take our first baby steps in that direction.