Thank You For Coming is a refreshingly candid film on the complexities of female desire. Directed by Karan Boolani, it challenges societal norms and taboos around female sexuality, reminding us that pleasure is an essential aspect of human life and not something to be ignored.
The story follows Kanika Kapoor (Bhumi Pednekar), a 32-year-old food vlogger with a vibrant personality who, even after three significant relationships, has never experienced an orgasm. On her 32nd birthday, Kanika reaches a breaking point and tearfully confides in her best friends, Tina Das (Shibani Bedi) and Pallavi Khanna (Dolly Singh).
Supported by them, Kanika decides to get engaged to her friend Jeevan Anand (Pradhuman Singh) — who has always had feelings for her — driven by her desire to finally experience what has been missing in her life.
Kanika invites all her exes and crushes to her engagement party and dances her heart out. In a moment of drunken bliss, she finally experiences what she had been longing for but wakes up next morning with no memory of who was responsible for her newfound pleasure. She begins to look for this elusive man and her search becomes the central theme of the second half. As Kanika retraces her steps and tries to put the pieces of the puzzle together, you are taken on a fun journey filled with twists and turns.
Co-written by Radhika Anand and Prashasti Singh, Thank You For Coming keeps you engaged and entertained for most part of its two-hour runtime. The dialogues are witty and replete with sexual innuendos but steer away from too many vulgar jokes. There are moments when the story meanders but it finds its way back eventually.
The film celebrates female friendships and also female bonding in relational spaces. The camaraderie between Kanika, Tina and Pallavi lends depth to the story, and Shibani Bedi and Dolly Singh make the most of their screen time. Shehnaaz Gill appears in a few song-and-dance sequences and to give relationship advice to Kanika as someone who admires her food vlogs.
Kanika shares a special relationship with two other women: her grandmother Kishori Kapoor (Dolly Ahluwalia) and her mother Bina Kapoor (Natasha Rastogi), a gynaecologist. Bina had made a choice not to enter into a conventional marriage as she didn’t want to settle for a mere formality. The moments involving the three Kapoors are some of the most heartwarming scenes in the film.
Bhumi Pednekar delivers a standout performance as Kanika, striking a delicate balance between vulnerability and confidence and evoking a strong sense of empathy for her character. Pradhuman Singh wins your heart as Jeevan, the earnest suitor-in-waiting.
There are extended cameos by Anil Kapoor and Karan Kundrra as Kanika’s ex-flames, and the scenes involving Anil Kapoor as a poetry aficionado who gets a high at just the mention of Gulzar are a riot. Sushant Divgikr as Rahul, one of Kanika’s love interests and a secret drag artist who inspires her to be fearless, is also endearing.
What feels forced is Kanika and some school kids shouting ‘smash patriarchy’ in the climax; even Kusha Kapila’s Mean Girl-esque cameo feels stereotypical. But these are minor points in the light of what the film achieves — continuing the dialogue on female desire and challenging taboos.
