Khichdi: a brainless comedy-Review

By Kunal Guha

Film: Khichdi - The Movie (U/A)

Director: Aatish Kapadia

Cast: Supriya Pathak, Anang Desai, Rajeev Mehta, Jamnadas Majethia (JD), Nimisha Vakharia, Kirti Kulhari

They're crass. They're annoyingly stupid. They're beautifully bizarre. Welcome TV's famously eccentric Parekh family to the big screen. The TV show Khichdi had established their brand of humour (idiotic slapstick), so it was important for them to translate the same in their latest big-screen avatar. And I am happy to say, that they have managed this to a large extent. The central cast includes the family members, Babuji (Anang Desai), Praful (Rajeev Mehta), Hemanshu (Jamnadas Majethia/ JD), Hansa (Supriya Pathak) and Jayshree (Nimisha Vakharia). The characterization is crisp and consistent and for those who haven't watched the show, it actually doesn't make a difference. The plot is wafer thin but then if you've seen the promos, are you really expecting a dual narrative with non-linear screenplay? What you are expecting are oodles of brain dead jabs and that you will be presented with. The film revolves around the motley bunch planning to fulfill Hemanshu's ultimate dream to finding eternal love, followed by marriage in true filmy style. Only problem, no one wants to marry him. And when he does find his true love, Parminder (Kirti Kulhari), it's all too straight-laced without conflict and against the norms of an ideal Bollywood love story! So they begin scripting problems which results in delightful situations. What works is the hilarious use of slapstick, a genre which is usually misunderstood as people suffering injury, screaming and running about, like they do in Priyadarshan movies. To ensure smooth transition into a film, the production has probably done a checklist for all the Bollywood essentials and placed them right in with ease. Murder (well attempted), court scene (hilarious), misunderstandings in relationships, love song (which is actually shot in a vegetable market) etc. They've promoted themselves as the Mad Indian Family through their Facebook profile and mad they are (and how!). From Praful's warped insights to Hemanshu's retarded comments, they manage to prove that idiocy can actually be a virtue. Being the first TV show to be produced as a full-length feature film, some hiccups were unavoidable. So, the introduction shots are unnecessarily dramatic and the best cracks have been revealed in the promos. But the situations and detailing is what keeps the ends your lips curled upwards, throughout your two hours in the hall. Like the pani puri stall at the shokhsabha organised for Hansa and Hemanshu's father, followed by the family wailing away as there is insufficient pudina in the pani puri. I would consider this to be an important film, as it's burdened with the responsibility to prove that Indian sitcoms can bite into the Bollywood pie. Although they've done a fairly good job in keeping me glued to my seat and grinning (in parts), I wouldn't personally want to see most others from the idiot box gracing the multiplex screens.

source: http://in.movies.yahoo.com/news-detail/102059/Khichdi-brainless-comedy.html