Lage Raho ... Munnabhai

Munnabhai is great stuff. Good thing they got the idea of making Series instead of Sequel. That gives them enough freedom to play around with story, characters & actors, while repeating only two of them - Munnabhai & Circuit !

This movie also opens with a kidnapping. But removing Munnabhai from this equation, make the MBBS kidnapping a better one. Anyway with the camera totally focussed on Circuit for this part, I could check-out all his gold jewellery.

I say, nothing beats watching a movie undisturbed, continuous & good quality picture on a big screen. And sharing every joke with hundreds of the audience. I somehow missed MBBS in theatre and got to see it only on TV - part by part. That means, I saw the middle first, ending next and begining last.



Apart from kidnapping, there were other patterns again, for our comfort. The father-son conflict & resolution. Swami look alike, who tackles the Spitter. Title song played against an interesting collage of Ladies. While 'Munnabhai MBBS' song showcased all regions, 'Bole toh bole ... Lage raho Munnabhai' featured all professionals.

Songs were defintely better this time. I mean, MBBS songs are not memorable but caught on. This one had better quality ones. And indefinitely hummable. Like 'Bole toh bole ..'. And 'Samjho ho hi gaya' was good timepass. Pal pal pal came at a very good moment actually. When things were to turn wrong for him. Of how now he has to stand alone.

Vidya Balan had to chirp throughout, which she did well. And do the dramatic bit for only one scene - which she did even better. Her Parineeta expereince must have come handy here. And Dia Mirza looked stunningly beautiful.

Dialoges were in ekdum Bambaiya dialect, keeping with the tradition started by Abbas Tyrewala. And this time, they had more profound things to talk about, ofcourse in light & digestible tone.

It was fun to watch Munnabhai translate Gandhiji's sudh Hindi advice to his Bambaiya Hindi. And pretty much adapt Gandhiji's solutions to a relevant one for today. Thus giving birth to Gandhigiri, as against Gandhiwadi. Isn't this what it's all about ? Use the idea. Don't fossilize old methods into unbreakable customs.

The press conference bit was quite a breaker. I guess, it was to tell us that, we know all the solutions, it's within us and we don't need any 'spirit' for that.

Rang De Basanti & Lage Raho Munnabhai are two very different movies in terms of style, but with the same good intention. Both made in the same year and successful in box-office & popularity. I doubt anyone thought such a thing can happen in Hindi Cinema. 2005 & 6 are producing one Gem after the other.