Main, Meri Patni... Aur Woh!

A movie that tugs at your heartstrings with its simplicity and abundance of charm.

Plot Summary: Chote Sahab (Rajpal Yadav) reluctantly agrees to look over a prospective bride, Veena. He sees her and falls head over heels, they connect at some elemental level and get married. So what's the problem? Veena is a stunningly beautiful, tall woman and Chote Sahab is a dumpy short guy. You know what they say about the insecurities of the short men.. He sees trouble everywhere - the vegetable seller, the milk man, the tempo driver, his friend, her friend, all seem to be better looking and taller than him! He tries to wend his way through this minefield of more suitable men, using means both comical (fires the milk man!) and slick (gets her to tie a 'rakhi on his friend's wrist!). But her friend (Kay Kay Menon) is harder to get rid of. Misunderstandings abound, the inevitable breakup happens... watch the rest.

However, the charm of the movie is not in the rather simplistic plot but in its execution. Rituparna Sengupta is stunning as Veena - beautiful and vulnerable but never sugary sweet. See her in the ending moments of the film - stellar performance. Rajpal Yadav has been a favorite of mine since I saw him as the "video pirate" Guru in Kal Ho Naa Ho! Here he plays the diffident, suspicious yet simple, husband very well. Kay Kay Menon shines as Veena's friend - he does a great job as the free spirited slick Akash. The best part of the film is the down to earth locale of the city of Lucknow. The University, Hazratganj, the residential colonies, the teeming traffic - this is a slice of ordinary life rarely seen in films. Music is divine - I will have to watch out for more music by Sanjay Jaipurwale. The outstanding numbers are the Ghazal 'Guncha Koi Mere Naam Kar Diya, Saki Ne Phir Se Mera Jaam Bhar Diya', and 'Doob Jaana Re".

Watch it if you want to see an authentic setting framing a great story about real people. You will not be disappointed!

This film brings in a breath of fresh air amongst the sleazy, slick films churned out of the Bollywood factories. If you had enough of big films with foreign locations, super star cast and dud stories, this film is refreshing. It reminds you of the modest budget films of the 70s featuring middle-class characters like those portrayed by the likes of Amol Palekar. Rajpal Yadav is superb and holds the film with his earnest acting. Rituparna Sengupta compliments him with an confident performance. Jehangir Chowdhary's cinematography of the every day life in the city of Lucknow is colorful and vivid. Although the film has a thin plot, it is watchable just for Rajpal Yadav's portrayal of a Librarian who has severe inferiority complex about his short stature and the misunderstandings that dwell in his mind as a figment of his own imagination. The film becomes too predictable with the usual clichés of misunderstanding inserted at suitable points. It moves at a snail's pace and requires some more content with sharper editing. Kay Kay Menon is definitely wasted, but does his job well. Nevertheless, I would recommended viewing this movie as it leaves behind to you the sincerity poured in this presentation by the director Chandan Arora and his cast.

That's not exactly what 'Main, Meri Patni Aur Woh' is asking but it's more or less what a young insecure librarian, Mithilesh Shukla ruminates. 'Main, Meri Patni Aur Woh' is a charming little movie. What really appealed to me about it is the way the comedy and drama have been intertwined and yet it manages to remain real, simple and down to earth without being over the top or sugarcoated. It really indicates how many young men with low self esteem (especially those insecure about their physical features) perceive themselves and people in their surroundings.

Rajpal Yadav fits Mithilesh Shukla like a glove. He delivers a very sincere performance. We see the film from his point of view. But, as a result of this the two other main characters suffer (because we don't know much about them). I would have liked to see more of Akash and Veena. The luminous Rituparna Sengupta is a complete delight to watch and she obviously chose a good film as a comeback to Hindi cinema. Kay Kay Menon is excellent as always, even in his brief role.

The songs are relegated to the background and flow well with the screenplay. Lucknow is filmed beautifully. Thanks to Chandan Arora and Ashok Khanna for telling us this story in a simple (but not boring), sweet (but not sugary) and real (but not documentary) way. A must watch especially for those looking for something a fun and a little deep but not overwhelming.

The story is based on a very simple premise. The director has done a good job at slowly unfolding the emotional mire that the lead character (played by Rajpal Yadav) goes through. At the outset, it is about the inferior feeling experienced by Rajpal Yadav due to his short stature, however, it can be just as applicable to many of us, just height getting replaced by something else we are too conscious about. Rajpal Yadav has delivered a great performance. Rest of the cast has done a fine job. The later part of the second half could be improved. Overall, well made and thought provoking, not for someone looking for the typical masala movie.

In the era of escapist cinema, a film about the trials of a common man is like a whiff of fresh air. The movie largely relies on its simplicity which the audience instantly connects with. All the more if the protagonist is an overbearing and possessive husband it adds a different layer into the story.

Rajpal Yadav:: Seriously nobody else could have reprised this role more effectively. In the early years, perhaps the role could be equated to Amol Palekar or Farooq Sheikh. The way he portrays his low self-esteem is indeed commendable.

Rituparna Sengupta:: She carries herself with so much grace and beauty that you develop an instant liking for her. No wonder the husband becomes protective of this beauty. Pity, she couldn't capitalise on the success of this film and move forward in Bollywood.

Kay Kay:: This powerhouse of talent needs no words to describe his performance. Simply, spot on.

Varun Badola and Vinod Nagpal:: Nice to see TV artists on big frame. Performance-wise, quite adequate.

Special mention about the "Guncha" song by Mohit Chauhan. Very soothing, yet soulful lyrics.

Ideally, this movie could be termed as a ode' to Basu Chatterjee's and Hrishikesh Mukherjee's body of work.

Finally, Chandan Arora deserves a pat on his back. Pity, there has been no significant news in terms of his directorial ventures.