Once upon a time, there was a king and queen who couldn’t conceive. Then, with a sage’s magical intervention, they had 101 children. Thus begins Get-Set Baby, narrated in grandiose tones by Mohanlal, setting up a premise about fertility and miracles. But as the film unfolds, one wonders: did the scriptwriters rely on similar divine intervention to patch together the rest of the story?
Vinay Govind’s latest offering follows Arjun Balakrishnan (Unni Mukundan), a brilliant, ambitious gynaecologist who has made a name for himself in the world of fertility treatments. Growing up surrounded by women and having a past around his mother that shaped his career, Arjun’s journey from an overlooked doctor to a celebrated IVF specialist is explored in much detail - perhaps a little too much.
By the time we reach the film’s actual central conflict, we’ve already seen Arjun go through several phases of professional highs and personal lows, making the story feel stretched and scattered. While Get-Set Baby starts breezily, it soon falls into the trap of laborious and meandering storytelling.
The film wants to be many things: a coming-of-age drama, a romance, an exploration of medical ethics and a commentary on societal pressures around conception. But much like an inefficient doctor juggling too many patients at once, the writers struggle to give any of these themes the attention they deserve.
Unni Mukundan, in the lead role, puts in an earnest effort as a whole, but his performance wobbles when the emotional stakes rise. The actor’s dialogue delivery also leaves a lot to be desired, further diluting the impact of the pivotal scenes. Nikhila Vimal, as his wife Swathy, remains functional at best, delivering a performance that occasionally drifts into over-the-top territory.
Thankfully, the supporting cast provides some much-needed gravitas. Surabhi Lakshmi and Sudheesh, playing a middle-aged couple seeking Arjun’s help, deliver moving performances. Ganga Meera, as a well-intentioned nurse, adds depth, though her character’s abrupt exit feels like a lazy script choice to further the protagonist’s coming of age rather than a meaningful development.
Comedy comes in fleeting doses, with a standout scene where Arjun and Swathy visit a temple known for its rituals surrounding conceiving babies. Moments like these provide a satirical edge, but they’re too sporadic to elevate the film beyond its predictable proceedings. Thankfully, the dose of distasteful double-meaning jokes or innuendoes is dialled down as much as possible.
Once Get-Set Baby reaches its real crux - an ironic, deeply personal struggle for Arjun that hurts his male ego - the film, instead of embracing its potential for nuanced drama, stumbles into melodrama. His journey into desperation, arrogance and self-destruction is treated with broad strokes, making it hard to sympathise with his plight. Instead of an introspective character study, we get a rushed redemption arc that feels more like a checklist item than a deeply earned moment.
Visually, the film looks pleasing—warm tones, soft lighting and a polished aesthetic give it an inviting feel. The music also does little to enhance the emotional depth. Get-Set Baby also unmistakably feels derivative of films like Doctor G, Vicky Donor, Dasharatham, Vishesham and Mimi, which explored subjects like fertility, surrogacy, unconventional parenthood and societal expectations. Get-Set Baby never quite carves its own identity within the genre, despite having a central conflict pregnant with possibilities, as the screenplay remains superficial in skimming over weighty themes.
The film wants to be resolute but settles for being passable at best with low ambitions, unlike its protagonist. It has its share of moments with charm and tenderness, but its inability to delve deep into its core themes makes it feel like a half-baked effort. Get-Set Baby leaves you wishing its writing had undergone one more round of creative fertilisation before delivery.
Film: Get-Set Baby,
Director: Vinay Govind,
Cast: Unni Mukundan, Nikhila Vimal, Chemban Vinod Jose, Fara Shibla, Surabhi Lakshmi, Johny Antony, Sudheesh, Shyam Mohan
Rating : 2/5