Oh my god 2- Divine Enlightenment

Oh my god 2- Divine Enlightenment- A cry for the enlightenment of Indian masses to embrace the realm of change that envelops itself in nuances of unconventionality

The film Oh My God 2- Divine Enlightenment stands as a sequel to Paresh Rawal’s Oh My God. The unique forbidden issues in Amit Rai’s Oh My God 2 show the significance of strong acting and clever banter inside the mainstream screening norm. The present piece tries to examine the pertinent examples that resonate with a comprehensive amalgamation of various features. In this article, I dive deep into the understanding of tabooed topics and analyse the attempt of the film to shed light on unashamed and open discussions through relevant examples and references from the film

Introduction

By diverging from conventional ways, the film tries to remark on the many Hindu ceremonies, but it mainly emphasizes the significance of sex education as a means of raising awareness among the Indian young. With that in mind, the movie's narrative is geared toward a U/A and CBFC classification norm. The role of the primary character is changed from that of the intended purpose to that of a messenger to further underline the urgency of the scenario.

With a cast that includes Yami Gautam Dhar, Pankaj Tripathi, Akshay Kumar, Arun Govil, Govind Namdev, and Pawan Malhotra, screenwriter and director Amit Rai illuminates the OMG's spiritual successor. The genius filmmaker Amit Rai is well known for his thought-provoking films that stir up a conversation in the masses. The film strives tirelessly in every aspect of its making to initiate a dialogue that marks its prowess in cinematic history.

The main plot of the movie

The focus of the film is Kanti, a regular shopkeeper who is deeply devoted to his religion and culture and has a typical life with his wife and two children. He is forced to reevaluate his views on sex and other issues that are viewed as immoral by society when he becomes aware of his shortcomings as a parent and his son is expelled from school due to obscenity and vulgarity.

Vivek, a problematic adolescent son of Kanti Sharan Mudgal), is humiliated by his peers and later caught masturbating in the bathroom by an unknown person. The video of him goes viral. He (a brilliant intellect) is expelled by the school due to obscenity to protect its reputation. Kanti decides to leave his hometown of Ujjain because he fears the humiliating comments and disrespect from the community and culture. He holds his son responsible for his downfall, which causes Vivek to lose hope in life and suffer from a decline in mental health. He decides to commit suicide in his anguish but is stopped by Lord Shiva's messenger. He then exhorts Kanti to recognize his son's situation and bring legal action against the institution.

The courtroom drama between Kanti and Kamini, the school's defence attorney and the judge, dominates the second half of the movie. Without compromising the sacredness of human life, the courtroom drama offers humorous responses to serious subjects like sex education and its prevalence in ancient Hindu culture. The film exudes bold dialogues that are delivered in a subtle yet powerful manner, simple yet thought-provoking cinematography and portrayal of commonality and their problems through the lens of unorthodox thinking. Here are certain nuances from the film that caught my eye and provoked me to dive deeper.

The presence of sarcasm and straightforwardness keep the optimum balance for a powerful impact.

The presence of humour in the entire courtroom scene kept the brevity of the main plot being delivered to the audience in a more relatable and assimilable manner that kept the show entertaining yet exhilarating. As the film tries to convey a social message to the Indian audience, it leaves no stone unturned in conveying its main idea. In the courtroom scene, where the witty banter between Kanti and Kamini takes place, what elicits the interest of the viewer are the underlying puns and crisp dialogues that Kanti delivers. Pankaj Tripathi never fails to justify his character as an ordinary father with extraordinary grit to protect his child. One still that I particularly liked was the response to Kamini’s allegation that Masturbation is an immoral and perverted act and admonishing Kanti for voicing his opinion of sex education amongst the Indian Youth and saying, “Indian society is still orthodox in its roots and is not ready to have an open forum for discussion on such topics.

In his rebuttal he says, “Indian society was known for promoting sexual health and sexual awareness in its ancient scriptures and ancient texts. He goes forward and mentions Kamasutra in his discourse to support his stance. I appreciate the striking reference to the presence of sexual awareness in our ancient history that sheds emphasis on the openness that we had generations ago. Another impactful dialogue from the courtroom scene that instills humor is Kanti calling Yami Gautam’s character using the reference to the Sanskrit word "kama," which denotes sexual desire and pleasure. If a parallel is drawn between the two creations of Amit Rai, the original movie and its sequel, the courtroom drama in Oh My God's first part revolved around the discourse of religion and its practices which had less frequent punch lines and was based on a satirical plot to convey its message. The sequel stands tall and more impactful as it follows a blend of both humor and satire in its approach.

The bravado of the director and his creation is applaudable though the question still lies in the same lens, “How can we initiate more open conversations around sexual health and sex education when the Indian society is still unwelcoming towards the onus of change? The only way to bring about change is to nip the bud in its roots.

The movie has portrayed Hinduism in the light of liberalism

In defending the liberalism present in Hindu philosophy, the film liberally draws on Hinduism. Kumar frequently dresses himself as Shiva and a white bull always follows him. Every ten minutes or so, we receive a picture of a trident, a shiv lingam, or a framed representation of God. In my eyes, though the movie tries to be a rebel in its stature and tries to unearth the stigma present around forbidden topics, it also tries to exercise caution in not hurting religious sentiments. The director doesn't mind if his audience makes fun of terms like "sex worker" and "hast-main. and quote Hinduism in a light-hearted tone. However, the movie is circumspect in its implications and says,” In contrast to the rest of the world, our Sanatan Hindu religion was on the rise.

Amit Rai knows how to make his film both critically and commercially acclaimed by the masses as he intricately places the storyline around Indian culture and sex education.

The sequel is a manifesto in its cinematography and its choice of characters

The film depicts the sombre discussions a parent has with his son concerning sex education. It is important to talk about the discomfort that modern parents still experience when trying to have honest and open discussions with their children regarding consent, sex, and sexual health due to the pervasive conservatism in society. In the opening scene, as Kanti is introduced, the main character encompasses a simplistic approach revolving around the life of an ordinary father and his devotion. Kanti is shown surrounded by orange aesthetics, a sign of devotion and faith in his religion. Shown as a simple shopkeeper who owns an entity near a Shiv temple, Pankaj Tripathi nails his character as he effortlessly sublimates into the simplicity of the character.

His drunken speech in Gadar 2's "Udd Jaa Kale Kave" serves as an example of the work of art.

Akshay Kumar who plays the role of Shiva’s messenger has a larger role to play in comparison to his cameo in the first part of Oh My God. I hold the praise for his charismatic demeanor in the movie that added icing to his envisaging character. Though certain instances could have been shot from a better camera angle, including his massive reveal from the river in his introductory scene, the overall couture that adorned Akshay Kumar is successful in making him appear divine yet humane.

Pawan Malhotra nails his character as a judge once again as he delivers iconic punches in between the banter between Yami Gautam(Kamini) and Kanti (Pankaj Tripathi). His comic delivery is unmatched and adds spice to the entire courtroom drama. One of the remarkable dialogues from the movie involves his character reprimanding Kanti for not standing while vocalizing his objections. This is followed by Kanti standing up and saying, “ I have an objection against the school, and Kamini replies "The school is not solely responsible, you should blame the education system. This line is followed by Kanti drawing a parallel and saying then when I get by a truck I should file suit against Mr Ratan Tata and not hold the driver guilty.

This was one of my favorite scenes that displayed the strength of a father fighting for the rights of his son

Yami Gautam as Kamini the defence lawyer is shown as a powerful and slick woman who breaks the stereotype of Indian Female leads portrayed as a damsel in distress. Her uptight demeanour and eloquent yet powerful rebuttal against Kanti as Kamini urges us to see women as more than just sweet innocent girls in the Indian Cinema who need saving encourages writers and directors to make more women-oriented films that have a strong female lead.

The requirement for open discourse in Indian society.

The key lesson that I derive from the movie is the need for honest and open conversations not just in society but inside our homes as well. The movie emphasizes the lack of understanding about numerous concerns in India to de-stigmatize difficult subjects and spark dialogue. How frequently is it acceptable to discuss consent, sexual health, and menstruation openly in India? Youth education on these subjects through appropriate methods and media is urgently needed. There is a large section of the Indian society that comprises the Youth. The young minds of India are also the largest consumers of media in the country. Access to free internet and pornography sites is eminently prevalent in the country. The number of offences is rising as a result of this and a lack of adequate education on consent. Cinema today is one of the largest mediums of education for the masses and creating masterpieces around issues concerning the current scenarios in India would educate the youth in the right sense Knowing these issues would go a long way toward improving women's safety in India.

Another important topic that this movie addressed was mental health in the age of adolescence. Vivek who is a troubled teen and undergoes the turmoil of depression represents an entirety of young individuals who suffer in silence. As the movie shows an open discussion around his mental health with his father and how his father blames him for his downfall, I cannot help but relate this to the orthodox mindset that still holds its presence in the roots of society. I admire the character development of Kanti from an orthodox father to an understanding and protective parent who fights for the rights of his character. But the question remains,” Are Indian teenagers comfortable sharing their problems with their parents concerning their mental health? And how can a change be brought about to solve it at its grassroots?

Conclusion

Oh My God is a manifesto of stellar performances and creations that instilled a sense of awareness in the minds of the audience. The movie destigmatizes the air against forbidden and undiscussed issues with its unconventional and impactful plot and helps us understand the need to hold unfiltered communication. With its gripping dialogues and invigorating ensemble of actors, the movie doesn't lose its charm till the end. Last but not least its cinematography, though not grandiose in its execution, succeeds in portraying the life of an ordinary Indian Man who does extraordinary things to save his family.

I believe the movie has been successful in altering society's conditioned thinking for years, although the Muslim, Christian, and Hindu communities have criticized it for its liberal idealistic attitude toward diverse civilizations. Oh My God 2 appeals to both critical and commercial spaces. I enjoyed the film, but also acknowledge that the camera movements and inventive use of CGI effects could have been better. Overall, though, I found it to be a must-watch if you want to be thoroughly entertained without losing all sense of reason.

-Hridya Sharma