Lage Raho (Keep at it!)

The year 2006 will be remembered for its re-makes and sequels. What with Umrao Jaan and Don being re-made and Munna bhai, Hera Pheri and Dhoom having sequels.
I am not a big fan of sequels. Most of the time – I find they lack the soul of the original. Especially in Bollywood – a movie is made – if it’s a hit – then they think of a sequel.

Yesterday, we watched Lage Raho Munnabhai – a sequel to the immensely popular Munnabhai MBBS. And I must say, while I wasn’t disappointed, it wasn’t a big wow.

To begin with – I like Sanjay Dutt. He’s not a great actor or anything – but there is a certain likeability he brings to the characters he portrays. And what should I say about Arshad Warsi. His comic timing and the panache with which he delivers his tapori lines is awesome. Nothing over the top – and yet so funny. I remember walking on the streets of Bangalore with Arshad Warsi(while he was hunting for a lock or something) and the response he received from the aam-junta to his Circuit-giri, I was really stunned (more so since I hadn’t watched the movie then). And he is still good as Circuit.

The basic story line is the same – Munna is a golden-hearted goon and Circuit is his Man Friday and one man army. Munna falls in love with an RJ and in a bid to impress her builds up this whole charade of being a history professor. As compared to the original, things have gotten a wee bit serious here – what with Munna spouting Gandhi teachings. I must confess – things got a bit stretchy here. I thought the movie could do with a bit of editing here.

Boman Irani is as usual his funny-villainous self. Competent in that department. Poor Diya Mirza has been reduced to being sister/daughter in most movies these days. She is one actress – who I find has such exquisite delicate features. It’s a shame – she didn’t hit big time heroine-dom. As in all Munna-movies, the heroine, Vidya Balan here, doesn’t really have much to do. However, Vidya is quite a bright spark.

The icing on the cake – for me – is a cameo by Abhishek Bachchan. It’s a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it appearance – but paisa vasool(money’s worth) for me.
Of course, alls well that ends well – Munna gets his girl. The girl gets her house.

I cant find specifics to complain about – but there’s that kick lacking in the sequel. Munnabhai MBBS had an intrinsic funniness and heart to it. Here Gandhiji sobers things up a fair bit. I was kinda waiting for the movie to end. Also, the original stood out for its use of tapori dialect. In wanting to professore-ise Munna in the sequel, the zing in the tapori-ness has been toned down. Sadly!
All in all a good movie – got a lot of laughs. Some of the songs are rather hummable.

I would recommend it to anyone – who’s missing hearing some tapori words. And anyone who needs some laughs.