Sabse pehle to main chaar gali nikaal leta hun film ko...then I will share the class it has.
Very poorly edited film...in fact you can make out that they didnt even care about the story. Any novice will find that out. I am sure it was too long and cut out some parts without thinking. I think there was a jazzy 'jagraata' in the film...that has been cut out as well. Also, the scenes which probably etch the husband wife characters have been deleted as well. Should fire the editor.
The story is good though its difficult to imagine a couple going to the length of shifting to a low income neighbourhood for the sake of admission of a kid.
Anyways...let me tell you about the classic bit.
The entire story is around a business class couple wanting their kid to join a top school...which is hard to come around. They finally try and get the admission through the RTE quota for poor people by forging themselves to be a poor couple.
Though initially it seems the film is making fun of an important issue like poverty...which is sacriligeous...but the director has been able to pull it off with class.
Remember the scene from 3 idiots in black and white, when the three friends go out to have dinner the poor friend's house. It was on the verge of being inappropriate but people enjoyed it.
This film makes a point without making anyone wrong.
So, when this couple moves into the low income neighbourhood...the film transforms...and the film is all about Deepak Dobriyal after that. He has carried the entire film I guess. Deepak is their neighbour and helps them out becomes a trusted friend.
There are multiple scenes when the films talks about important poverty issues and make it a comedy.
A director who can make a comedy with poverty in background... is a good director. Its a good test.
See, Rajkumar Hirani...made Lage Raho...a comedy on Gandhi...can anybody think about it...and yet he doesnt dilute Gandhian philosophy even minutely.
By the way...who is the Director...let me google and check.
So...its Saket Choudhary...he directed Pyaar ke side effects...which was a good movie too. If I am not bad at predicting future. Expect some good stuff from this Director in future.
Good choice of music too...I have been writing this blog listening to a song of the film playing in the background....Man lage mero yaar Garibi men...man lage mero yaar Fakiri men
Found out that it is a old couplet from Kabir. Zabardast gaana hai. Found out that its sung by Neeraj Arya...who has formed a band some years ago. Another fellow to keep track of.
Gaana suno yehan:
Anyways...lets come back to Deepak Dobriyal...aise yaad nahi ayega... See his picture along with Madhavan.
By the way...I also didnt know his name...just knew him by face. The guy from Tanu weds Manu.
He has given his best performance until now.
One hilarious scene and the entire hall was in splits....and by the way he wasnt event on the screen while delivering the dialogue...
"Yeh to nai nai gareeb hue hain...hum to khandaani gareeb hain...mera dada gareeb...mere pitaji gareeb and aur main bhi gareeb"
Another hilarious scene is when he lands up at Irfan Khan's house.
Irfan Khan has given his usual best...nothing remarkable about it...apart fro the inaugural scene where he is showing saris to ladies in his shop.
Saba Qamar ..the Pakistani heroine is beautiful and has shown promise including a wannabe sensuous scene. Cant think of any particular scene. But you can of course notice the apt Urdu talafuzz, wherever required. She was much more noticeable than the big release Mahira Khan in Raeez. Should get more roles to show her talent...but what I could notice is that she seems versatile...doing homely roles like getting the child ready, shouting on the lady in the water queue, cuddling with Irfan in the new house etc.
Another character who has done the role well is the school admission consultant. Good acting. You start hating her soon. Job done...expect to see her in character roles in other films too.
Thats a soup of review...but I felt it writing in this mad way this time. I feel thats my natural style of conversation.
On second thoughts...I feel why are these film reviews so serious and academic. Hindi cinema aur serious review....doesnt match. Hindi films are reviewed like Hollywood films. I can understand that you are writing in English...but kuch to Indian cinema ki izzat kar lo yaar.
Another final thought...Hindi Medium is a wrong title for this film. I would have titled 'Admission Open'
Ek aur point yaad aa gaye.
Irfan's final speech on the stage and no one clapped...Wow! good thinking by the writer. No one would.
