August 08, 2006

Khoobsurat - Catch 22

OK, I´m in a dilemma. I really want to like this one. And it has some potential in the masala direction. There are ingrediences of my favorite kind of masala movies. But there are also some statements in this one that make it terribly difficult to lobby for it.

The plus side:

Smalltime crook with heart of gold is forced by circumstances (read: evil crime-lord) to pretend to be distant relative to con 50 lakh out of family. As fate will have it while trying to fit in, he spreads happiness among the lives of everyone. From bad-wig sporting dada to polio-stricken grandson everybody is happier in his life then ever before. Then there is of course eki ladki and a sort of ugly duckling/pretty swan story. Swan and crook fall in love. But that must not happen. So, in fact nothing new, but who cares when its told in a nice way.

On top of that we have the cast: Om Puri, Urmila Mandonkar, Jonny Lever (not annoying!!!) and hamare accha accha bhai Sanjaysaab

Then whats wrong with it?

Not really outspoken but pretty apparent statements like:

- A girls who reads too much hides herself from the world and her purpose in life (read: marriage) so why not set one of her books on fire to make her understand - ahem- something or whatever (I didn´t get it, I was so upset when he set the book on fire)

- Honesty and fairness in business is bad. If you work with the union according to union regulations you a) become an alcoholic and b) the union screws you anyway

- Your mother-in-law did not like you ever since you came into the house years ago? Make her some pickle aur sab teek hai.

And then we have the clothes issue. The movie is from 1999 (Jonny Lever even sings some lines from KKHH) and Sanjay was never ever ever ever dressed so horrific. Here is some evidence. See for yourself:









































I really really tried but I just don´t have the strength to comment on the pics, sorry.

4 comments:

Beth Loves Bollywood said...

I'll do it! I'll do it!

"Help me, Urmila, I can't decide which of grandma's textiles to sport today: the tea cozy or the doily!"

DJ said...

i like how Paresh Rawal quotes the names of movies and famous lines from other movies and tv ads. specially at the very end of the movie where he comes for his money.

Maja said...

The hat! The hat in the first picture!! There's an old Slovene children's story and movie about a little shepherd boy called Kekec, and he wears exactly the same hat as Sanjay - see?

The lacey shirt is also quite an interesting choice ;)

babasko said...

LOL the last one kills me, everytime I look at it...