Saying this, because the producers (Maddock) had decided on taking this film directly to OTT (Prime Video) while the Indo-Pak tensions were on
(From left) Rajkummar Rao and Wamiqa Gabbi in Bhool Chuk Maaf
Bhool Chuk Maaf
U/A: Romance, comedy
Dir: Karan Sharma
Cast: Rajkummar Rao, Wamiqa Gabbi
Rating 2/5
Since the film itself is titled Bhool Chuk Maaf — as in, sorry for mistakes/errors, or ‘no offence meant’ — I instantly overlook the typos in the subtitles of the song that this picture opens with.
Never spotted such kinda errors in a proper theatrical release. Or that dialogues in a particular scene carry on, while the actors are no more on the screen!
But then again, minor gaffes; hence, all maaf.
What follows, to start with, is a pretty neat, mid-budget entertainer; the sorts Hindi cinema was known for, pre-pandemic — headlined by the dependably top-class, Rajkummar Rao, with Wamiqa Gabbi in the female lead.
They’re surrounded by equally first-rate ensemble/supporting cast; the likes of Zakir Hussain, Sanjay Mishra, Seema Pahwa, Raghubir Yadav, populating this picture as Tiwaris, Mishras, Shuklas of the (upper caste) middle-class, small-town world.
The hero-heroine regularly step in for a song or two at suitable moments. Both are naturals before the camera. Their chemistry works alright.
All of it put together in the romcom space feels like a sufficient value-proposition for the audience — as they’ve settled into their seats, for what will be a film no longer than 120 minutes, anyway.
Only, that there are few examples of a movie whose value-proposition so secularly/progressively declines with its clock-time. Until we reach a point that there are actually two scripts in this picture, for the price of none. You’ll obviously value neither.
Let me explain.
The film’s hero is Ranjan, from Banaras. He seems a bit bizarre, in his own right; but there is something intrinsically adorable about him, that can’t be ignored, either.
Rao has played parts in such a zone several times in the past (Chhalaang, Ludo, Badhaai Do; why, even Stree, for that matter).
His life’s goal is to somehow marry the heroine. There is only one hitch. The girl’s family wants a boy with a government job.
The couple has also attempted to elope once, but got intercepted by cops. What’s the plain and simple mission for the hero then?
To land a government job. Deadline: two months. Frankly, it would be far easier to convince parents than find easy employment, let alone sarkari.
If you may, the film directly addresses India’s job crisis. The young face it. The old don’t seem to care. You can kinda tell from a mile, where this movie is headed — once the premise, mentioned above, is made clear, within the first 10 minutes of the film!
And that’s what I’ve described so far — wholly looking forward to the rest of the film. Except, that’s not the frickin’ film! What is it then?
As might be accessed from the trailer (that I didn’t remember) Bhool Chuk Maaf, in its own way, is essentially Groundhog Day (1993); isn’t that cray?
As in a picture about the protagonist, who lives out the same date on the calendar, similarly plus differently; again, and again. The present has got stuck for him. He has no escape. How did the goal shift, along with the goal-post? What does this have to do with the government job, or marriage? Well, unless you stretch it; nothing, really.
He’s basically been cursed by Lord Shiva, in the city of temples: Har Har Mahadev! To make amends, hero goes around drinking gomutra (cow piss), and feeding gau mata, roti and gur (jaggery). Which will save him how? I don’t know.
What I can see is August 29. Repeating itself. So is the movie. I wanted to move on. As must the hero. Too late now!
The beauty of being in a theatre for a pic that’s not particularly ambitious, hence inherently unpretentious, is you join in on the some of the laughter emanating from the seats behind (I’m always on the second/third row).
Likewise, you chill out on the tracks, including Love Aaj Kal’s Chor bazari, reprised in the closing credits.
Saying this, because the producers (Maddock) had decided on taking this film directly to OTT (Prime Video) while the Indo-Pak tensions were on.
Gonna always pick the cinema — so long as it’s near me, and doesn’t cost a bomb. On TV, you’ll probably miss the kinda effort the performers have put in to save this schizophrenic script from spilling out of the screen altogether.
You feel greater empathy for Rao, the lead, in particular. As per the title, bhool chuk maaf, then.
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