Review: ‘Single Salma’ amiably sends up the Indian obsession with marriage

Salma is a cheerful version of the classic Hindi film heroine who sacrifices herself for her family. Salma (Huma Qureshi) has shunned marriage so that her sisters can wed. She works hard in Lucknow’s urban development department to release her family home from debt. She has time for everybody but herself.

The 33-year-old Salma continues to be amiable and tolerant, sighing rather than screaming when her parents roll out prospective grooms. One of them is smitten at first sight.

Sikandar (Shreyas Talpade) busies himself with proving his credentials. When Salma is called away to London along with her colleagues for an official trip, Sikandar rolls out the red carpet and hires a band.

London changes Salma and her co-workers in fundamental ways. Salma’s encounter with Meet (Sunny Singh) hints at the end of her self-imposed singledom. But Nachiket Samant’s Hindi comedy Single Salma, written by Amina Khan and Ravi Kumar, is only just getting started.

Apart from the sheer unusualness of featuring leading Muslim characters, Single Salma has a few surprises in store. Not all of these land well because of the 142-minute movie’s tendency towards bloat and speechifying. But there are neat upending of expectations, welcome fun poked at the Indian obsession with marriage.

Mudassar Aziz’s dialogue articulates the movie’s intended balance...

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