Chashme Buddoor (1981)

I watched the movie with a gang of friends who were all reliving the memories of watching Chashme Buddoor in the past (multiple times, in most cases). And while deja vu seemed imminent, it never happened. A spanking new print (and seeing the movie in a darkened theatre for the first time) ensured that I caught a lot more of the small joys of this classic.

The simple love story, complicated by two good-for-nothing friends of the hero is nothing novel but the characters seemed to have all walked out of our past lives. Jomo's bike which never starts. The never-ending khata at Lallan Mian's paan shop. The awkward wooing by a geek. The all-consuming (but innocent) desire to be in female company. The romatic day-dreamings, garished with sher-o-shairis and Hindi film songs. All of them are so brilliantly etched that you keep smiling through out the movie. 

Of the cast and crew, Farooque Shaikh has lost none of his easy charm. Deepti Naval remains as sparkling as ever. To the comedy, Rakesh Bedi is the genteel side while Ravi Baswani brings that manic edge. And of course, there is the ebullient Saeed Jaffrey as the good-natured Lallan Mian. And the whole ensemble is led materfully by the writer-director Sai Paranjpye. (Trivia Alert: Her daughter, Winnie Paranjpye, does a small cameo as a girl seeking a lift on Ravi Baswani's bike.)

If you haven't watched the movie (lucky you!), go with someone who has. The movie watching will be like a super-fun karaoke experience with people mouthing the dialogues and doing pre-emptive clapping/whistling at key scenes. That's exactly what we did and had great fun reminding ourselves of simpler times left behind. That, and we also mercilessly ribbed a SRCC alumnus when we spotted Ravi Baswani sporting the college's jacket. 

My day was further made when I confirmed with the guy at the PVR counter while picking my tickets - "Purana wala hain na?" The guy replied, "Classic wala." True, that.

Review

Chashme Buddoor is one of the best comedies ever made in India. Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro (1983) and Gol Maal (1979) were made around the same time and did it better but what about those films where the humor isn’t made up of outrageous situations? The brand of humor in Chashme Buddor is almost extinct from Hindi films today. The self-reflexive spirit, mundane light-heartedness, quirky nothings and hilarious situational comedy is as rare as it comes. Slapstick and wit both aren’t compromised.

The chemistry between Farooque Sheikh and Deepti Naval is one of Hindi cinema’s most elegant offerings. The scene with Chamko washing powder still has the charm. The innocence of it all is hard to dislike. I hope a new generation of filmgoers takes that extra step to discover what Indian cinema had to offer. 

Seen in the context of today where the safety of women is questioned, certain scenes come off in bad taste. Although not so much that would hamper the entire experience, since the point of the film has something to do with the intention behind the eyes that leer. Everyone is aware of the chemistry of the actors mentioned above. But what about Rakesh Bedi and Ravi Baswani? Not just in terms of being pivotal elements of the story but their dialogue exchanges which are nothing short of brilliant.

The song at the park poking fun of the movies is solid gold. The cameo by Amitabh Bachchan and Rekha is hilarious. The script is full of insipid situations but it finds humor in the simplest of things. The film is ultimately about a slacker growing up, taking responsibilities and making a man out of himself.  But rather than making a humdrum film out of this premise, Sai Paranjpye manages to extract a comedic tone, which she builds on as the film progresses. Until finally you are laughing your butt off with a huge smile after it is over.