Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Athithi Tum Kab Joage

When you don’t expect much from a movie, you are in for a surprise, even though the movie was just with 30% occupancy.  The laughter quotient in the movie is so natural and supple that one gets carried away and has an urge to peg on with the reels, unfortunately 13 reel is not enough.

The nuclear couple Ajay and Konkana sen and their son form a simple middle class family living in Powai from the huge apartment complex it seems.  But they claim to be living in Goregoan anyways both are close by.  Avinash ( their son ) is baffled by the term Atithi Devo bhava.  He enquires with his dad Puneet ( AJAY ) as to the real meaning of the term.  His mother Mun Mun too is unable to answer the question, for which she receives a taunt from his teacher.

Movie takes a turn when suddenly Gajodhar chacha from UP lands up to his apartment, and seeking Pappu from Gorakhpur.  He confuses Puneet with various complex relationship and network.  Ultimately Puneet accepts him as his relative.  From there the nightmare begins for his family.  The couple have to sacrifice their bedroom to his chacha.  They have bow down at his feet in traditional style etc to keep up with the ancient traditions.  Chacha is obviously played by the versatile Paresh Raval, who tries to ape Utpal Dutt of yore, to an extent.  How his antics leads from one disaster to another is the storyline of the movie. 

The hit song Beedi Jaliyle has been twisted with the wordings Jyoti jaliyle and bhajan is sung by Paresh Rawal, which is quite hilarious.  Another scene with Sholay’s Kaliya evokes peels of laughter.  The taunt kitne aadmi teh has been used to the hilt to bring out humour and ultimately cause of sorrow.

How the normal couples life is disturbed by sudden arrival of a guest seems to be jist of the movie.  But wait the movies message is about Atithi Devo Bhava.  Guests are supposed to God in disguise.  One is caught in a whirlpool, and the director cleverly takes the audience on a melodrama.
Satish Kaushik has pulled off his small role with aplomb, with Ashwin Dhir (director ) really pulling off a near winner in comedy. This movie is unlike blockbuster slapstick comedy of Priyadharsan. The movie is jointly produced by the big Hollywood banner Warner Bros for a change. Go and enjoy the movie and check out the anti-climax.

TITBITS : I remember once my colleague landed in the middle of the night at 2 am, we welcomed him with open heart...........in 1986. Now he has relocated abroad and did not bother to call me while he was in Blore for a day in Oct 2009. So goes the concept of athithi devo bhava in Kaliyug times. We never expected any favour from him than nor now.

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