Sometimes, silence says it all. But in the case of Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari, even silence feels too kind. The Varun Dhawan and Janhvi Kapoor starrer, which hit theatres on October 2, promised colour, romance, and chaos — and delivered just that, except without any real soul. Television actress Surbhi Chandna’s viral reaction after watching the film has become the most accurate review the movie could have asked for. Her words — “Somebody stop this film right now” — perfectly mirror what most viewers felt after sitting through this glittery disaster.
Surbhi, who went for a movie date with her husband Karan Sharma, expressed her unfiltered disappointment both during and after the screening. In a video shared by Karan during the interval, Surbhi is seen munching on a samosa — her face blank, her enthusiasm gone. When asked to rate the movie so far, she said with a smirk, “The only good part of the film is this (samosa).” Later, re-sharing the clip, she captioned it, “Blaming you for dragging me into this shit.”
If that wasn’t enough, the second video sealed the deal. During the film’s over-the-top climax, as Tulsi (Janhvi Kapoor) runs dramatically toward Sunny (Varun Dhawan), Surbhi can be heard exclaiming in frustration — “Arey… stop, stop! Somebody stop this film right now.” Her husband Karan jokingly captioned the moment as “Bollywood’s new weapon of mass destruction.” Surbhi reposted it with another brutally honest note: “We survived.”
And honestly, the audience seems to agree with her. While the film tried selling itself as a “feel-good family entertainer,” what unfolded on screen was a repetitive, painfully predictable Bollywood love story with zero freshness. Critics and viewers alike have called it “forced comedy wrapped in designer outfits,” while others have branded it “a two-hour advertisement for couture brands disguised as cinema.”
Even the box office numbers aren’t sparing it. Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari managed to collect only ₹13.10 crore worldwide, according to Sacnilk — a disappointing figure for a film backed by major stars and an aggressive marketing campaign. Reports show that morning shows saw a dull 14.77% occupancy, afternoon shows barely rose to 38.93%, and evening screenings hit a modest 43.65% before slipping again at night to 38.95%. Despite the glitter and PR blitz, the film seems to be collapsing faster than expected, struggling to hold audiences beyond opening weekend.
The truth is harsh — Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari feels less like a film and more like a tired remake of every Bollywood rom-com cliché we’ve seen before. And while Varun and Janhvi’s chemistry was supposed to be the selling point, even that feels synthetic and over-rehearsed.
If there’s one thing this fiasco proves, it’s that star power can’t save hollow storytelling. Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari tried to charm audiences with gloss, but ended up testing their patience instead. As Surbhi Chandna put it best — “Somebody stop this film right now.” Honestly, most moviegoers already have.