Just watched the movie, with a good friend (Mohan, dude thats you!) and 2 others. The movie stars Nagesh Kukunoor and Jyoti Dogra in the ’lead’ roles (the ’’ will explained below). The movie also sees the return of Nagesh’s pal Sanjeev and his bubbly wife played by the eminently likeable Elahe Hiptoola.
Lets me make something clear, I very much liked the First installment of Hyderabad Blues, with its ’innocence’ and its freshness. So I went in, expecting a similar if not better offering from Kukunoor.
The movie starts off reasonably well, with a short intro to the story so far, I liked the start!
Varun (played by Kukunoor himself) has left his job at Coca Cola USA for good and manages/owns a call centre in Hyderabad. His wife Ashwini played by Dogra is a full fledged Doctor with an aim of starting her own practise.
Sanjeev and his wife, now have 2 kids, and we also see the reappearence of the bald dude and 2-3 more guys.
Life is a bed of roses for Varun, until Ashwini starts to bug him about having a baby, something which Varun says he does not want now. This strains the relationship a bit.
Ashwini and Sanjeev’s wife then approach Sashi Aunty (another old charecter from 1998)who is supposed to be quite a charmer( Mrs.Vatsyayan :-) ). The scenes where Shashi Aunty gives ’em, a small demo of the ’’pallu drop’’, and a Dummies guide to seduction are quite hilarious.
Meanwhile Varun’s office has a new Floor Manager, (appropriately named Menaka) who, as she admits, always falls in love with her boss(??).
As expected Menaka hits on Varun, who comes close but doesnt succumb. Ashwini comes to know of this, and inexplicably decides that she cant trust her husband anymore and asks for a divorce.
I guess that while Kukunoor has tried to highlight the problem of sexual harresment at the workplace, I
feel he goes overboard in Ashwinis reaction.
Varun’s friend Sanjeev and his wife (who has her own marriage fixing business on the side) try to mediate and resolve the problem, with no success.
I HAVE to at ths stage question Kukunoor’s treatment of Varun and Ashwini’s relationship, with Ashwini willing to walk out on a 6 year marriage based on a non-event.
Menaka is brought in and she acquits Varun of any adultery.
Anyways the usual tamasha with Varun’s parents (who have played their parts well, they are irritating and frustrating, much like well-meaning parents) ensues. They divorce and Varun decides to go back to America after Ashwini, regardless of his apologies does not relent.
Kukunoor also tries to insert a token social message with Ashwinis colleague being gay and him coming out of the closet.
The movie ends quite predictably, with Ashwini convinced and asking Varun for forgiveness and a bit of waterworks.
The movie on the whole, fails to impress, with Kukunoor himself being quite ok. Sanjeev (Vikram Inamdar) is very good and very funny.
But the star for me was Elahe Hiptoola. She is a natural, very cute and has a good role. The biggest letdown was Jyoti Dogra as Ashwini. Her attempts at crying at the end were almost SRK-esqe and had me squirming in my seat.
The soundtrack is ok, with 2 songs by Fuzon (Khamaj and Tere bina), and a very nice track ’’Slipping through your fingers; I also liked the ’’Dil pe mat lo, haath...’’ track, although I didnt get all the words.
On the whole, worth a dekko, but dont go in with too high hopes, as I did, you might well be disappointed.