Finally!! Finally, we have been treated like people with thinking capacity and have not been taken for granted as an audience. Thank you Mr. Rajkumar Hirani for entertaining us wonderfully!!!
This movie is about non-violence and is, as contradictory as it may sound, very contemporary. It is about using Gandhian principles to deal with the common man’s current day-to-day problems. And here is the beauty of the script, it is not preachy! Smiles, laughter, misty eyes, tears are abundant on both sides of the screen.
Munnabhai and Circuit are adorable, articulately sketched out characters. The characterization is maintained in the songs too – from the music and lyrics right to the simple and sweet choreography. Not only do Sanjay Dutt and Arshad Warsi play out their characters as if they are living them, it also felt like they enjoyed every bit of their roles. You sense their energy. The chemistry between them is exceptional, especially in scenes with just the two of them – both at dhobi ghat and outside. Vidya Balan’s smile brings freshness to the screen, especially while paying tribute to Robin Williams (Good Morning, Vietnam). Boman Irani playing a bitter-sweet character has his comic timing as right as ever. Dilip Prabhawalkar’s voice modulation is spot on and kudos to the make-up person too. Familiar faces from Munnabhai MBBS bring warm memories from the first movie in the Munnabhai series.
The songs, for a change, add value to the script since the lyrics of almost all songs are very situational. However, that means that they may not make sense when you are only listening to them. The story and script skillfully avoided certain things. For instance, the generation gap problem was not over used, the psychiatry element was not left unexplained, and the love angle did not go through misunderstanding after misunderstanding. It is also refreshing to see that there is no unnecessary show of snow in Switzerland using a dream sequence as an excuse.
This is a product of excellent teamwork. The director could not have done it without the actors who in turn could not have done it without the dialogues and lyrics, and of course the dialogues would be worthless if it were not for the story and the script, which in the first place could have been ruined through improper execution by the director.
Of course, nothing in life is perfect, right? … there are a few lapses but they are worth ignoring. There is a little extra melodrama, a few extra tears, a couple improbable coincidences, an overestimated use of World Space, and a few unnecessary dialogues considering the audience is being treated with respect. Also, the dancers on the side could have done with a few expressions.
This is no doubt a feel good movie, but it has that something extra which you begin experiencing once the credits start rolling and the ‘EXIT’ lights turn on. The issues raised will stay with you after you leave the hall (unless of course you are a skeptic). All-in-all a must watch for one and all!
Thought for the day – Bapu did his job, Munna has done his, will we do ours?
- Meetu, a part of the audience
