Monday, September 18, 2006

Lage Raho Munnabhai

I am just back from seeing Lage Raho Munna Bhai. Yup, I am seeing it for the first time after all the dust has almost settled down after its release. And the verdict? I love it, I love it, I love it :-D!

So, anyways, the very weekend the movie released, for whatever good reason, I wasn't very keen about watching it. Then something else came up. I was beginning to think that I would finally watch it on DVD (just like I watched Munnabhai M.B.B.S, which by the way, I loved too). But a friend who had already watched it loved it so much that he decided that he wanted to see it a second time. So he, me and another classmate from undergrad set off this evening from work.

After a quick but satisfying dinner, we quickly found seats in the theatre - we got good seats, it being a weekday evening and all. Everyone who had seen the movie so far had gushed to me about it. Including my parents, who, in a rare display of movie-watching-enterprise had seen it on the very first week of release (really, I think my parents are hipper than me). And they don't even like Sanjay Dutt usually. Hmm, there must be something to this movie!

Anyways, it always happens that when something is so hyped up, the end product finally is pretty disappointing (cases in point: Vettaiyadu Velaiyadu, SoK etc). So tried to not have very high expectations when the movie began.

The movie got off to a good start. It was fun. I laughed at quite a few places and was thoroughly enjoying myself. But even then, I felt that while it was a good movie, no doubt, it was not the great, 'I-am-going-ga-ga-over-it' kind.

And then interval happened. And my friend called up to tell me that a trip I have been very much looking forward to for more than three months now has to be unavoidably cancelled :-(! Boo hoo - I had been chirping about it to everyone even this noon :-(. Oh well, that is life :-(. Anyways, that dampened my spirits quite a bit. At that point I felt that transferring me to Disneyland with Santa Claus handing out free iPod accessories could have not done much to cheer me up.

Then the movie began post interval. Oh wow! It was simply awesome. It made me laugh and think at the same time. Maybe, just maybe, weird as it sounds, each of us can make a difference in this world by just being nice! I was rooting for Munna. Circuit had me in splits. Mahatma Gandhi had become hot and happening again. As the movie ended, I was in a considerably better mood. After all, is not life exactly how we choose to perceive it?

And then the second wonderful thing of the day happened. The theatre manager walked into the theatre and called out "Excuse me, excuse me" to get our attention. As we quietened down, he said, "We have Mr. Lucky with us." And there stood Boman Irani (who plays Lucky Singh in the movie) in our midst.

Ever since I saw Munnabhai M.B.B.S, this guy's awesome acting and comic timing has bowled me over! And here he was in person. We all gleefully shook hands with him and gave him a standing ovation! It was so unexpected that it felt like a dream - one moment we were watching Boman Irani on screen, and all of a sudden he was actually in the hall, talking to us! Woww :-D! Yeah, my day was made!

I tell ya, in a couple of hours, all this euphoria will be gone. And my feel good factor would have come back to normal and I will start grumbling about my cancelled trip in right earnest. But right now I am a happy ducky and I am going to enjoy it while it lasts. Sayanora folks!

19 comments:

Archana Bahuguna said...

Great movie indeed! With both Sanjay Dutt and Arshad; and then Boman Irani was the surprise element. As in he came more towards the end of the movie. And man! we were impressed too! He's always been such a versatile actor and he just displayed that all over again. Envy you, you saw him. Dint you click a picture with your camera on phone? ;-)

Inder said...

got to meet the boman 'hilarious' irani!? wow!!
am looking at means to watch lage raho munnabhai. would prefer to watch it on big-screen. but, the chances are getting slender :(

BZ said...

too many recos for the movie :--) I hope I watch it next weekend, it plays nearby. I cant stand Sanjay Dutt, hope he is okay in this one. :--))
And hey dont feel bad about the cancelled trip. I am sure something better is waiting for you. :--) Cheer up! [This is if you go back down]

PRIDERA said...

I watched this movie a few days back and thoroughly enjoyed it. What I liked best about it was the originality in the script and that rare balance of comedy and preaching. A very brave effort indeed !!

Rebelzz said...

Wow.. u got to meet Boman Irani.. he s the best actor available now! Honestly.. And Circuit was just awesome.. In fact the movie makers have registered the title Circuit.. So they might make the next movie with that title!

Archana said...

Punnakai - you are welcome :-)!

Archana - nice pic :-)! You seem to be changing it every other week and I must say, you look different (in a good way) in this one too :-D! No photo :-( - basically I was too busy grinning to think of anything else :-)!

Inder - yup, yup :-D! Oh, do try to watch it on big screen - some of the song picturizations were pretty good!

Saranya - go for it :-D! Actually, till Munnabhai happened I did not like Sanjay Dutt either! But as Munnabhai I think SD suits the role the bestest! Thanks yaar - I think I will need booster doses of cheering up for some more days :-(!

Pridera - so true :-)! The preaching simply did not feel like preaching and I actually wanted more!

r.e.b.e.l - yup, yup :-D! Oh, I hope they do. Arshad Warsi is so likeable and has an absolutely awesome comic timing sense!

kuttichuvaru said...

i am hearin gud reviews abt the movie... hope to catch it soon :-)

Anonymous said...

after two years of no hindi films, i saw it the 2nd day in auckland. yes, it was incredibly funny. it was worth every NZD i paid for it. amazing humour and definitely the best hindi movie i have seen in recent times(!). i still can't believe the fact that i saw a hindi movie the 2nd day.

good for you that you got to saw the man himself. well, i know the character but rather poor in remembering the names of hindi actors.

Ginkgo said...

bomman Irani....good it wasnt Vidya balan..Tell me when she makes an appearance and that day, I wont watch the downloaded movie..but go to the theatre and watch it:-)

Prasanna said...

wow! I was planning to watch it with my team this Friday...:0)

dinesh said...

It was pretty cool that you saw him right after the movie.

"Maybe, just maybe, weird as it sounds, each of us can make a difference in this world by just being nice"

I haven't seen the movie yet. But this is the reason why I liked the movie Anniyan inspite of all its stupidities. The message was loud and clear. Each of us has a responsibility in this society, and by fulfilling it we can make a difference.

Robbie said...

hmm! Your review section really rocks! I for sure know what to watch and what not to now! I did the big mistake of watching VV recently, godddddd!! how can people even classify that movie as a good one???? I was really very disappointed with kamal haasan, expected more from his movie, I am glad that you also agree with me on this, coz a few of my friends felt that it was a good movie and I felt like I was the only one in the world who felt this way! I am gonna go watch this movie soon I guess...
Whats all this hype with Jo Surya marriage? my fiancee is gaga over this wedding and constantly showing me their albums and making me go crazy!!!!!

Anonymous said...

Visited your blog via Sayesha's blog. You had good template for your blog. I noticed that you too, like me, are Calvin and Hobbes fan :).

Lage Raho Munnabhai was great movie. It was good that it came right after KANK, which was just disgusting.

Shilpa said...

Arch i never saw this post till today ( thanx to my cache) !!

I really liked the movie too. Wow...u met Boman Irani ! That is sooo cool !

Cheer up abt the trip !!!

Robbie said...

hey arch,
yeah! hmm its been a couple of months now... and six months since I met her...you guessed it right:p. It probably does reflect on my recent blogs..hehe.:P God:P hehe you made me blush:P

Anonymous said...

It was a great movie indeed and the Mahatma has indeed become hot and happening but for how long. Interesting movies come and go but do things really change? I don't want to sound cynical but real change can only be brought by severe adverse circumstances.

Kaunquest said...

'Lage raho..' being shown in cinemas here in the UK too. Heard soo much about it, its already in its 3rd week here, and I have not watched it yet!!!I loved the first part and was looking forward to this one. I am almost certain that I will end up watching it on DVD! :(
Comedy in Hindi movies used to be grossly overacted loud caricature sequences, except in movies like 'jaane bhi do yaaron' and few good Hrishikesh mukherji movies! It is soo refreshing to see a new brand of original comedy being born and established through Munnabhai.

Archana said...

Kuttichuvaru - all the good reviews are true! Do watch it :-)!

Spark - wow, you got lucky :-))! Mercifully you did not wind up watching KANK or some such crap as the ice breaker movie :-))!

Ginkgo - not to worry! I am sure Vidya Balan will send you a personal invite when she decides to visit the theatre :-P!

Spark - goodie, it worked :-)!

Prasanna - so, did you like it :-)?

Dinesh - I know, it was so cool :-)! I totally agree - I think if each of makes a tiny change, it will collectively have a big effect!

Robbie - VV was way too violent for me :-(! And quite a lot of the violent scenes were unnecessary too. Such a technically brilliant movie - could have been made much, much better! I really don't know the deal abt the S-J wedding :-(! Maybe your fiancee is trying to give you some hint abt the accessories/clothes S/J are wearing :-P!

Raju - thank you :-)! I know! Thankfully, I gave KANK a complete miss (yaaay) :-)!

Prachi - thats true :-)!

Shilpa - it was really cool :-D!

Madsies - oh ...hope you get to see it at least on DVD! But do see it - it really deserves the hype!

Robbie - I am quite an astrologer when it comes to guessing such things :-P! But why on earth are you blushing - LOL!?!

Hindi - Hmm, that's a good question! But I guess if the movie wrought a positive change on even 0.5% of the people who watched it, it still is a big number (not in millions maybe but even in thousands is better than zero). After all when bad movies supposedly inspire bad characters, good movies too will hopefully wind up having a positive effect!

Kaunquest - Yup do try to watch the movie when you get the chance! Its worth every minute of the 2.5 hours or so it runs! I know, it is great to see such a clean and refreshingly original comedy!

Anonymous said...

yup. it is a good movie. Want to grab a DVD of it (if it is released that is)