Movie Review: Saheb Biwi Aur Gangster

Don’t confuse it with the classic original. Guru Dutt’s magnum opus only partially lends the title for this riveting drama. From the feudal Bengal landlords of British India, Tigmanshu Dhulia transports the action to the Hindi heartland amongst it’s relics of decaying royalty. There is this Saheb whose financial clout is tied to the strings controlled by his step mother. And he has a Vodka swigging bombshell of a Biwi suffering from an attention deficit and a roving eye, both of which periodically propel her into hysteria. In steps our laddie from the Jatland and slides his way into the heart and the bed of the Biwi. Wait a minute, he is the lover boy. So who is the Gangster? No prizes for correctly guessing that but actually there was a surfeit of gangsters in the movie, Saheb & Biwi included. The script of the movie is taut and each turn of the story unfolds with effortless ease. The story develops like it should and surprises you with nuances even when you are with the knowledge of what is about to happen. I loved the way the characters have been conceptualized. Jimmy Shergill as the blue blooded aristocratic strongman fits the role to perfection. He sums up the understated violence surrounding his troubled life. A neglecting husband, he kills and debauches with panache. His wife longs for fulfillment and sublimates her desires in alcohol. Mahi Gill looks the part. The political rivals of the Saheb introduce a mole in his household with an intention to eliminate competition but a heady brew of lust & ambition sees the Gangster pursue his own agenda. Randeep Hooda, as the wannabe banker turned jealous lover turned killer only seems to be improving with each movie but he had better come up with some star performances before age catches up with him. Deepal “Kanta lagaa” Shaw surprised me with her natural portrayal of a machinegun mouth village girl. The movie has an irresistible old world charm far removed from the familiarity of the multiplex & internet driven urban madhouse where disputes are quickly settled by a bullet and pursuit of pleasure takes precedence over discretion or propriety. The music is simple and superb, specially the Shreya Ghoshal’s rendition of “Raat Mujhe” which has a mystical & haunting quality which I normally associate with some of the Lata songs of the 60s. As a package the movie is a class by its own and a worthy successor to Dhulia’s student politics thriller “Haasil” but for a diehard romantic like me its stuff dreams are made of.

Speedy Singhs: Bhangra On Ice

First mistake? See the original. Never ever go for the dubbed version of a movie. Never mind “Slumdog Millionaire” which was an honorable exception since no western expletive can a match a vernacular one. And the second one? Never take Chammak Challo for a flick with a Punju story line. Only this time she had a bit of inside support. Two hard core Punjus had accompanied us but were only appreciative of the end title song, “Sheran di kuam Punjabi” belted out by RDB & Ludacris since it has this quality of enhancing the aggressive DNA of all Punjus. Well, Chammak Challo gets to her parochial best whenever good ‘ol Punjus are seen to be winning, which thrills me to no end but gets her goat. These conflicting loyalties usually result into a potentially tense & explosive situation inside the cinema hall and the inevitable fall out is that after furiously slurping away on her cappuchhino (low sugar, if you please) she attacks my Diet Coke and goes on to demolish it. At great risk to my life and future liberty I usually hold my ground and continue to make approving sounds on the antics of the never say die Punjus. After all, sheran di kaum Punjabi !!
The kind of presence the immigrants (read Punjus) have created in Canada and other parts of the world would have been enough reason for Akshay Kumar to encash the potential of the NRI audience. “Of course” says Chammak Challo, “They will do anything for money”. It’s a story of an NRI punju who has ice, sorry.. stars, in his eyes dreaming of being an ace ice hockey player but has a-play-it-safe-in-life father bent upon forcing him into the trucking business. A washed out player ( Rob Lowe, no less) spots the budding talent and decides to turn coach. The resident gora players build obstacles in the Punjus quest for glory. The Punjus lose initially but go on to conquer the world. Everybody lives happily ever after. So what’s new huh? It follows the story line of all great sports movies of triumph over tribulations but what I liked about the movie was that it was sans unnecessary melodrama which is the bane of most Bollywood ventures. It’s also a whacky love story without getting too mushy and replete with classic one liners which must have been more fun in the original version. The heart thumping, adrenalin rising action on the skating rink has been captured most professionally. Probably the firang production team had something to do with it. But the USP of the movie is that it effectively captures daily life emotions of ordinary people with small dreams, professional or otherwise. I would probably watch it again, but this time the English version, for the sheer joy of watching the whole Punju brood descending onto the skating rink and turn it into a bhangra fest of a wedding reception. Go Punjus go !!
On our way back from the multiplex I sneaked a glance at the sulking Chammak Challo and saw the hint of a smile. Ahhh, a chance ! So promptly I gathered the courage to ask if I could get a mutton curry packed instead of eating the ghia prepared at home. She said yes. I blinked. Yessss. She does love Punjus after all. I plan to write to Ludacris & Co to sing a song…. Shera di kaum Garhwali. Does it sound right? It had better !!!