Teen Thay Bhai: From the book of Punjabi fairy tales
3 stars out of 5
Director Mrigdeep Singh Lamba's debut film needs to carry a warning: "Teen Thay Bhai bears no resemblance or relevance to the lives, fights and frights of people outside of the Punjab". Then it would be fair game.
That said, for the Punjabi at heart, Teen Thay Bhai is a delightful and dippy fairy tale. It's about silly and simple village folk who have lost their moorings, and whose journey to happily-ever-after involves seemingly unnecessary tasks, evil witches and men of authority, a misunderstood dwarf, the elements, and magical resolutions followed by grand transformations.
But since Teen Thay Bhai is from "The Book of Punjabi Fairy Tales", happy ending here means bhangra and shaadi; the tasks are set by a dead and divine Dadaji and involve his adarsh and asthiyan; the quest takes place in a lonely and cold house where quaffing whiskey is a necessity; women don't figure much, and when they do they bring bras and trouble; and there is a smug Pomerian (Pomeranian). And because this is a tale from the Gill and not the Grimm Brothers, it's politically offensive.
We first meet Chixie Gill (Om Puri), a sadiyal from Bhatinda and the eldest of the three brothers. Chixie owns a naade-elastic ki dukaan, is generally irritable and especially frustrated these days because his large and round daughters prefer samosas to grooms.
Brother number two is Happy Gill (Deepak Dobriyal), a dentist of dodgy skills, and then there is Fancy Gill (Shreyas Talpade), a two-bit actor in Punjabi films.
They all live separate lives but are bound by ties and genes even they are unaware of.
News arrives that Dadaji is dead. Brothers rush to Dadaji's village house where a vakil tells them that Dadaji had a bungalow near Manali which they can have after fulfilling Dadaji's wishes. The deal is that Dadaji, now in a brass pot, must spend one year with each brother, and for three years, on his death anniversary, the three brothers must spend two days together in the bungalow on the hill.
They agree and we next meet them in year three. A snowstorm is raging outside and Chixie is the first to arrive, with whiskey, cream and an electric fly swatter. Happy comes next, with his relaxing electric iron, and then Fancy, carrying Dadaji and Shanky the Pomerian in an ice box.
There's not much brotherly love. Just lots of abusing, slapping and hurting each other. You see, Dadaji (Yograj Singh) was a respected elder of the village who loved his zameen and would not sell it. But Chixie had dreams that didn't involve playing daddy to his little brothers. So he left. Happy loved the dhobi's daughter (Ragini Khanna) but naughty Fancy ruined that romance.
The elder brother who fled but failed, the meek middle one who loved but didn't dare, and the young one who is still toddling are together just for the money ' to marry off fat daughters, to open a dry cleaning shop, to fly to America to make Return of the Blue Lagoon. But there's a reason why Dadaji is still inside a pot.
The brothers chase a mysterious midget, but are instead lured by churails. We know that this is a Punjabi fairy tale because the witches are white, blonde and roll psychotropic substances in paranthas. Brothers give in to temptation and now they must pay. They are hauled to a police station by a deranged cop with cruel and humiliating torture implements. Bas, then what, the brother join forces, escape, rescue Dadaji and arrive in their village to find love and happiness.
Teen Thay Bhai is a fantastic tale about zar, zoru and zameen. The plot is silly and crammed with slapstick moments. But all is held together rather nicely by crackling dialogue, great actors and their superb comic timing and heart-warming little scenes.
The credit for creating convincing and entertaining Punjabi setting and characters ' the English language is mauled brilliantly, there are painful kachcha, anus, penis and farting situations ' goes to the director. His casting is bang on, including the one-dialogue supporting actors, as is his choice of lyrics and music. The film's dialogue, with a generous use of crude and abusive idioms, are very funny and clever. My favourite was this one from a lovely Ramlila scene: "Kheech ke phado is bandar di rassi, Nahin peelani ise Lanka ki lassi". A very promising debut.
Though Shreyas Talpade hams and overdoes his bumbling Golmaal act, he is entertaining. Deepak Dobriyal is, as always, fabulous and engaging.
But Teen Thay Bhai belongs to Om Puri. This is his elakka, and one can see that in his body language, brilliant little quirks and perfect delivery ' police becomes polss, and Chadha is Chadhe.
His slaps are rapid and his banter engaging. It's been a long wait, Mr Puri, but worth it.
MID DAY :
Teen Thay Bhai - Movie review | ||||||
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3 Thay Bhai What to do: Teen Thay Bhai is a wasted attempt at bringing together an ensemble that could deliver with a much better story. |
INDIA TODAY:
Triple Thunder
Teen Thay Bhai
Director: Mrighdeep Singh Lamba
Starring: Om Puri. Deepak Dobriyal, Shreyas Talpade
Rating: 
As Chixi, Happy and Fancy Gill, brothers who hate each other and are bound by their grandfather's will to guard his ashes till three years after his death, the three actors are a riot. There are fart jokes, lots of humour involving ladies' underwear, and canine torture. The film was to have been called Mad, Madder, Maddest and as the adventure shot for 44 days in snow bound Kashmir valley unfolds, it seems quite justified.
For those who love marijuana paranthas, a police officer who inflicts torture with household objects and slapstick action soaked in desi whisky, this is pungent, often puerile fun. The one-eyed grandfather is played by Yograj Singh, father of Yuvraj, with great gusto. Ragini Khanna who plays Dobriyal's love interest is fresh, with a smile that stretches from Jalandhar to Jammu.
Remember you need to have the stomach to laugh at lines such as this: O, topless house. Just American cars and babes. More than a working knowledge of Punjabi is also essential.
Juvenile, yes. But also jolly.
Bade Achhe Lagte Hain
Real Estate
