Those were days when we used to travel to our grand pa’s Place 4 Summer Vacations.On One Such trip, Our Train got delayed by more than 4 hours.As Home was far & We kids decided not to go back home, but decided to watch a film near the Secbad Railway station. Between Manohar & Natraj, we decided 4 Natraj, Oops they R the theaters names.LoL.
Dumping the luggage in cloak room, we ran out to Natraj to buy the tickets. We cared less about the film we were going watching & were more keen to spend the next few hours, killing time. We had this Poster of Angoor with Sanjee Kumar, Maushmi Chaterjee, Aruna Irani, Deepti Naval & Deven Varma on it staring at us. After lot of discussion we decided to go 4 it.
Alas the Balcony was sold out & we were surprised, who the hell want to see this film so late in night.Some how we managed to get tickets 4 the show. Oops we were in the First Row.Aaah Pain in Neck.What a Roller Coaster Ride It was.It was so rib tickling that I fell of the chair more than once.
Angoor(Grapes), is a amusing comedy based on Comedy of Errors of William Shakespeare, is surely one of the most consummate comedies I had seen in Bollywood.Angoor 4 me beyond doubt ranks the all time best with rib ticklers like Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi, Padosan, Chupke Chupke, Jaane Bhi Do Yaaron, Golmaal, Andaz Apna Apna & Heera Pheri.Besides being superbly well written, adapted & directed, Gulzar’s casting was bang on spot.I can’t think of anybody better than SK & DV, who could have essayed the double roles with such excellence.Then the terrific support by MC, DN & AI.
Mistaken identities R not a new topic but it is the style in which Gulzar has skillfully adapted the theme to suit the Indian situation is brilliant.He creates the simplest situations & manages to infuse it with humour.The best thing about Angoor is that no actor was trying to be a Joker.Each character conducted sensibly, given the situation that they finds themselves in.It is the audience, who found the hilarious situations.Gulzar, who has been a master at depicting the most transcendent of emotions, divulges his mastery over the comical genus.At no time in the film did I felt that things R being prolonged past their limits.The director exercises control, restrain & gives each character & circumstances just as much rope as is desired.
"Saarhe teen minute mein pura bank luta ja sakta hai. Dikhaun kaise?"
"Babu kisi bank mein jakar dikhao. Babu ab der ho rahee hai jaldee jao jisse jaldee aa sako"
The film’s story, is about a businessman Raj Tilak(Utpal Dutt), whose wife gives birth to twin sons.During a journey like my train, RT & his wife encounter an forsaken pair of yet another twin boys.Taking pity on the orphans, they decide to adopt them, thinking they will be good servants.Fate plays its game. RT & his wife get separated as the ship they were traveling encounters a storm, each taking one of their twin sons & one of the servant twins along with them. Both husband & wife & the children survive the storm & grow up in different places, unaware of the other’s survival. One of the RT’s son Ashok(SK) is a married to Sudha(MC), a adoring sisterinlaw Taanu(DN) & his servant Bahadur(DV) & his wife Prema(AI). Ashok & Sudha R all the time having quarrels & Taanu always has to make peace between them.
"Bahadur tu baap banne waala hae?!"
Their latest quarrel’s outcome has Ashok leaving the house, swearing not to return till he gets her the necklace he has promised her.While one of the twins is getting the necklace made at the jewelers, the other twin Ashok(also SK) arrives in the same town on business with his Bahadur(also DV).Everybody in the town seems to recognize them, which makes them guarded as they R carrying a lot of money with them.Bred on detective novels, this SK believes that thugs R laying a trap 4 him & R out to loot him.This case of mistaken identities continues unabated as the wrong pair of twins land up at the house & find themselves having to cope with MC & AI, who call themselves their wives. This comedy of errors continues till both pairs come face to face in the finale & the truth comes out.
"Mein nahin darta, deekhne mein avanyee lagta hun par ulte haath ka ek chaanta mar dun to pata chal jayega"
"Bada footage kha rahee hai Bus"
SK essays both roles with an ease & flair that came so naturally to him.Both characters come alive under his mastermind.His acting out of the second twin, who thrives on detective novels is a class act.The scene where he makes his entry in the train is surely cherished.As also the many scenes where he leaves his stamp.If he has managed to make us laugh with an Angoor he made cry with films like Khilona.Then there were the roles like in Aandhi, Parichay, Namkeen, Mausam & Koshish that he did with Gulzar, who truly utilized & understood his potential best.What really works here is the terrific chemistry that exists between SK & DV, one of the better but highly underrated actors. They R a ideal foil 4 each other. Both actors have a perfect sense of comic timing & their scenes together R really to be watched. MC’s cameo as the ever weeping wife, is quite delightful to watch. DN & AI provide good support. The Other Funny Characters Like Chedilal, Ganeshilal, Mansur Miyan, Inspector Sinha and Others.
"Tum to aise keh rahe ho jaise maine tumhe bina pyjama ke pehle nahin dekha"
"Kya? Tumne mujhe Nannnnnngaaa dekha hai"
The film’s music has been given by RD Burman, another Gulzar regular, like SK. The combo has given us some of the most memorable songs weaving their magic. But this film Just has 2’Roj Roj Dali Dali’ &’Hothon Pe Aisee Baat Ayee Hai’. Then the classic’Preetam Aan Milo’ of CH Atma which, is used more 4 comic effect than as a Song.
"Yeh rassi kitne ki hai?" "Kiske liye chahiye?" "Khud-khushi karne ke liye"
"Chaar rupay." "Do rupay mein milega?"
Angoor 4 me retains its pride of place among the best comedies churned out in by Bollywood.It is a well made, clean, with laughs coming 4 all the right reasons will always remain the favorite, even after the No Entry, Welcomes, Dhamaals & Partners have gone by.Hats off to Gulzar 4 such a well thought-out script.Even though, it is a adaptation, but still I’ve seen so many perfect stories being ruined by adaptations.I can’t think a single other recent movie which is made with so much thought.Sad, today’s trash comedy will never be able to take the place of this evergreen laugh buster.
"Tumhaare daayeN kandhe par ek til hae?" "Nahiin toh" "Mera bhi nahiin hae! phir toh ham dono bhai hue"
Angoor is worth every rupee & time you spent.Do you think we traveled all the way in train sleeping.We made a Chaos on the Train at 2 AM in the night recollecting the Ploting, Gangs, Train, TC, Pakodas, Grape Garden, Taxi, Dog Howls, Rassi.What Not.Even Now When ever I see the film, I fall off my sofa, laughing.Even now I can’t stop smiling every time I think of various scenes from the movie.Its Again Summer Times, get hold of the DVD & Watch the hot afternoon slip into laughter roit. I better dig out the VCD and Watch it Again!
Direction, Screenplay, Dialogues by Gulzar
Music by R D Burman
Warning Rip Roaring Tearjerk Laughter Roit