Lage Raho Munna Bhai

I saw Lage Raho Munnabhai last night and it's still in my head today. I always go to watch sequels with a bit of trepidation but Mr. Hirani soon eased my fears with a wonderfully thought out comedy that is funny and has a message which he puts across without being preachy. Most of the same cast back again with only Sanjay Dutt and Arshad Warsi reprising their roles and playing the same characters again. This movie cannot be considered as a sequel as it is more of an episode in Munnabhai's life not unlike James Bond films or Charlie Chaplin's tramp.

Sanjay Dutt is just perfect as Munnabhai... i cannot imagine anyone else playing this role. It was said that Munnabhai was first offered to Shahrukh Khan, while i do like the King Khan i feel he would have gone overboard with this role. Sanju baba plays with a lot of conviction and i believe his true character and honesty shine throughout the film. He handles the comedic and emotional scenes with ease.... so naturally. Good rapport with the Bapu character.Arshad Warsi a.k.a Sarkeshwar a.k.a Circuit was also brilliant ...excellent chemistry with sanju and had some nice sequences. I liked him since the time he appeared in Tere Mere Sapne... and is coming into his own as a Bollywood star in his own right.

Vidya Balan was bright and chirpy... great teeth! Only disappointment was that Boman Irani did not have the same impact as he did with Dr. Astana but still a great performance. He makes the audience like and empathise with him even though he could be considered the villain of the piece.

Direction was excellent, song sequences were handled beautifully with most of the songs being situational all well shot especially 'Samjho ho hi gaya' & 'Pal Pal Har pal'. This movie just proves that Bollywood movies can be just as good and entertaining as Hollywood while still giving us all the masala.

We should all follow "Gandhigiri" but first let's support this great movie by praising it and WATCH IT IN THE CINEMA!!!!!!!!!!!!

10/10.

Probably, this is the best movie sequel ever produced in the Hindi cinema and surely would be one of the top ten comedy Hindi movies of all times. I can't remember if any comedy movie (hindi or other) ever been able to deliver such a strong message in such a subtle and non-preachy manner. Coming out of the cinema hall, you can't help from having that huge delightful smile on your face.. This movie isn't a sequel in its true sense; apart from the characters of Munnabhai and Circuit, there is nothing in common with its predecessor (unarguably, the movie would not have been possible without these two characters as in their original form).

Few reasons which turn it to a must watch movie:

1) awesome movie, with astounding screenplay, story, characterization and many other things. Its a 100% clean movie with no risqué dialogues, no item number, no vulgar dresses and no vulgar scenes, which is an achievement in today's times.

2) Performance of Munnabhai and Circuit duo - Sanjay dutt is undoubtedly the most lovable bollywood bhai, he is bit old now but still going very strong and Circuit has come up with his magic yet again, this guy's timing of dialogues is perfect... In all, the duo rocks!!!!!!!

3) Strong, strong and very strong message delivered... I won't delve much onto this or else risk disclosing the story and henceforth the fun... Everybody is going to respect Mahatma even more after watching this movie - bet you are going to love that enigmatic smile

4) Jhanavi (Vidya Balan)... such a graceful beauty, her face is like bright morning light; gosh, the lady literally smiles with her eyes, you are bound to fall in love with this gurl, just like Munnabhai.. apart from that she acts very well and gives a strong performance...

There are many more things that make this movie memorable and a treat to watch.... surely, something to watch before you die :-)

Incredible movie! The comedy was expected, and having developed his characters so well, Rajkumar Hirani couldn't possibly not make people laugh in this movie, but the most inspiring aspect was the message which was conveyed in such a beautiful, unpreachy way, something the audience would connect to. Definitely, no documentaries or books about Mahatma Gandhi could have had such an impact on the audience, and after watching this movie, I respect him much much more.

The screenplay and direction was flawless. There was not a single moment when you wanted to take your eyes away from the screen, and the dialogues were as good as the first part, in fact better. Sanjay Dutt and Munnabhai are made for each other, and he couldn't have played the role better. But yeah, without Arshad Warsi, the movie wouldn't be half as good, and like the previous one, he's delivered. Vidya Balan really adds life to the movie, and if you really want to compare, I'd say she's done much better than Gracy Singh in the previous one. Incredibly beautiful, and she's got grace, I can only but praise her in this movie. Boman Irani, Diya Mirza and others have done there bit, and Hirani has very nicely used all these characters around the main ones. And last but not the least, Mahatma Gandhi, played by Dilip Prabhavalkar is something you will not forget. Throughout the movie, he wears this enlightened smile you fall in love with!

The movie does have technical glitches, for instance, if vidya balan works at worldspace, how did her show air on FM radio and things like that, but you don't really care much about these things when you've just been through 2 and half hrs of sheer entertainment, where you laughed, cried, and every possible emotion you can go through with a movie. The movie has an incredible feel-good factor to it.

So all said and done, the movie is a must watch, watch it asap! I doubt I'd find a single person around me who wouldn't like it.

What does one say about this movie? Coming on the heels of Rang De Basanti, Lage Raho Munnabai could prove to be another movie that stirs the conscience of the Indian masses, and dare I say, foreigners as well. Never before has Gandhiji's life and message been conveyed so simply, so beautifully and in such a rolling-in-the-aisle humorous manner. Everybody in the movie has played her or his role tremendously. Arshad Warsi and Sunjay Dutt make an explosive combination and Boman Irani is a riot. Don't be surprised if the thickest-skinned amongst you sheds a tear or two while laughing your guts out. You will walk out of the theater with a spring in your step, light in spirit, thankful that such a man as Gandhi walked the soil of our nation and inspired to become a little bit more like him. Even if a few of us are motivated to emulate Munnabhai's 'Gandhigiri', we could make a world of difference!

The second innings of Munna Bhai and Ciruit in 'Lage Raho Munna Bhai' is one cracker of an innings! It's better than the first one, extracts more laughs and punches and the characters have a more humane temperament that explores the other side of 'bhaigiri'. The plot is truly the winning card of the movie, not to discount the effective casting, dialogues that are a mix of funny and introspective, a rib-tickling screenplay, enjoyable situational songs and a first rate direction. Sanjay Dutt as Munna Bhai and Arshad Warsi as Circuit wear their characters as their second skins, more comfortably, more snuggly and are more lovable than their avatars in the earlier Munna Bhai MBBS. Ditto for Boman Irani who dons the role of Lucky Singh, a sardarji builder; a meanie with a heart. Vidya Balan also puts her best foot forward as a radio jockey who makes Dutt's heart goes hmmm... Dia Mirza and Jimmy Shergill justify their cameo appearances. A surprise element during the climax is a thoughtful addition and cheers the audience, specially the female audience threefold. Though the film is not a sequel to Munna Bhai MBBS, Lage Raho Munna Bhai retains the characters of Munna and Circuit in the lead roles and their nontoxic, almost childlike idiosyncrasies. This idea also gives an unlimited scope for possibilities the hit pair of Munna and Circuit can indulge into in future. Lage Raho Munna Bhai is a story about Murli Prasad Sharma aka Munna who meets Mahatma Gandhi and undergoes a heart transformation. For Munna, breaking bones and abducting people at the snap of his fingers was easier than the courage it required to walk on the path of non-violence and truth. Hesitatingly and unwittingly he takes the road less traveled, which is thorny and full of obstacles in return for self revelation and a guilt-free conscience that fears nothing and no-one. The 'Gandhivad' is turned into 'Gandhigiri' by self proclaimed Professor Murli Prasad Sharma for its practical implementation in the present day, without sounding preachy or heavy-duty. There is a similar 'offering the other cheek' when someone slaps you, confessions of truth and also the 'satyagrah' for a bunch of old people who lose their house called 'Second Innings' to the manipulative and greedy Lucky Singh. Sad but true that our nation won freedom but lost its people, Murli tries to revive faith, courage, truth and justice in people from different walks of life. With his new found ideology or the chemical 'locha' in his brain, he triumphs over the cynics or the lost souls and also wins the love of his life. An interesting observation can be made between Rakeysh Om Prakash Mehra's 'Rang De Basanti' and Rajkumar Hirani's 'Lage Raho Munna Bhai', the fact that though the theme of both films is more or less the same, the approach to resolving the conflict is in complete contrast with each other, like two ends of the same thread. Yet both films succeed in their own unique ways and deliberate the depths of human emotions and reflections in an identical manner. In the end, hats off to Vidhu Vinod Chopra for producing a film that is a wholesome entertainer and succeeds in giving a heartfelt message in the times where films are made merely to fulfill the whims and fancies of egoistic filmmakers.

-Nidhi Kathuria