Era uma Vez em Déli

They had to break some day. Those rope of morality, sanctimony and congeniality which had tied down so many of India's almost-awesome films have been cut open and the authentic urban Indian (who does hurl a few abuses here and there every day due to the misfortune happening to him) is now free thanks to Aamir Khan and Abhinay Deo. Still, Delhi Belly is fine filmmaking mostly due to the makers' unabashed vision and the decision to let no stone unturned in making this comedy.

To start off, Ram Sampath's mind-blowing music in the promos is what brought the first batch of audience to this movie and it has some really wacky numbers (Bhaag DK Bose, Nakkadwale Disco and Bedardi Raja to name a few). On the actors' front, Vir Das portrays his pitiable character perfectly. Imran is in a dream role and this could be his best act ever if he continues to do movies like the ones before he did Delhi Belly. Kunal Roy Kapoor's problems with gastric motions (after which the movie is named) bring down the house more than once. But it's Vijay Raaz to whom most of the misfortune happens and he, therefore reacts like a truly enraged gangster would and gives us a lesson or on how swear words are meant to be really pronounced. Purna Jagganath is the find of the film and could be Bollywood's first really non-traditional looking heroine. But still, am I the only one who found her cute?

Once Mr DK Bose (the story) begins to 'bhaag' (run) in the beginning, it hardly stops even after the end. Such is the flow of the movie that even when you're laughing your ass off to any one of your preferred situational jokes, you hardly miss the link to the next scene because the story is simple enough to be a 96 minute movie. Great storytelling by Abhinay Deo. As a bonus we're treated to a never-before item number by Aamir Khan in the end, along with some food for our ingenuity-hungry mind throughout the film.

Like all of Aamir Khan's house productions, Delhi Belly is an important film in Indian cinema history because the success of this film will directly measure the immeasurable: how much have our minds really adapted to the next generation mentality. And what all comedy filmmakers should learn from Delhi Belly is that Indians have brains not just while doing math but while watching movies too.

The bad:

I am not totally against the use of bad language in films - some times it is totally appropriate - but I think there were times in this movie when it was just being used for the sake of it, and/or just to get cheap laughs from teenagers who still find the use of the F-word funny. One thing I love about Bollywood is it manages to get laughs with having to resort to bad language - and long may it remain that way.

The good:

The plot is fast-paced and it gets down to business pretty much from the get-go. I was watching it with my 17 year-old son and he thoroughly enjoyed it (maybe he is the target audience for gross-out comedy). It has some classic comedic moments and there were many times I laughed out loud.

If you enjoyed Hangover then this is likely to be something you'll enjoy too.

I did watch it with sub-titles on, but from what I can remember the dialog is almost all in English. Maybe this was to try and give it wider appeal.

I had liked Abhinav Deo's GAME too for its style and had not known at that time that he was directing DELHI BELLY or was from the advertising world. I mention this fact about being from the world of advertising because this would factor into the director's understanding of urban realities, most of all the language of real life.

Language is the MAIN character of this movie. The plot, the actors, the music, the songs, the chases-- all lean heavily on language and that's the most unique feature of this film. The language of the by now infamous lyrics, the "heroes" and the "villains" alike reflects the grim, gritty, sometimes squalid reality of urban India and translates it into images that are at once shocking, disgusting, entertaining and creatively ingenious.

Once the director has decided that he is going to use this language (both literally as well as metaphorically) he has complete freedom to depict urban realities-- sexual, emotional, physical, financial, marital, professional et al. The film is funny because beneath all the crudities and cuss words lies the recognition of ourselves in our day to day life, its frustrations, the curve balls that it throws us from time to time and our desperate attempts to keep our sanity in a completely insane world.

In a recent interview, Abhinav Deo thanked Amir Khan for his vision. This vision is possible only in a man who has the creative genius to shed the hypocrisy and double entrendres of Bollywood cinema and move on to a cinematic form that is so completely in tune with the 21st century India, the metamorphosis of our youth, the blurring lines that divide morality (as we knew it) from immorality, even amorality, cynicism from romanticism and so on.

The movie from start to finish is tightly held together. The cast is well chosen and so are the locales. Nothing jars in the movie. People look as much at home in a five star hotel as they do in the clogged by lanes and streets of Old Delhi. The screenplay is tautly held together by an equally taut editing. I loved Vijay Raaz who is able to depict the malevolence of a sleepy looking but deadly reptile with such finesse, the two young men who share Imran's filthy apartment and the young woman who tempts Imran to break his engagement. The contrast between the old Maruti and the red new (Santro?) car that can zip through the flyovers of Delhi is as meaningful as the black eye that Imran sports through most of the film.

I am sure some reviewers and certain sections of the audience will slam the movie for various reasons. But that is because the movie is ahead of its time and will make people uncomfortable because of its iconoclastic nature. I salute Amir and his team for this and wish them many many years of great film making.

Bollywood has taken a big bold step with this movie , and once again , it was Aamir Khan who showed the way! He not only gave a movie that will be talked about for quite a long time , but again came to Imran's rescue, to give him a re-launch he desperately needed!

Every thing new has been tried , with the language being 90% English , the occasional Hindi comes out in the forms of those "terms of endearment" , and the lingo is something that we all dig! This one has fresh comedy, is stylish , and is worth a repeat view! All the performances were worth-watching ,especially the trio and Vijay Raaz 's !

Watch out for the "Ja Churail" number, its frigging hilarious!! And the one-liners too!

It's barely half an hour since I left the movie theater, and I'll say this - I could easily buy tickets for the rest of shows for the day and watch this movie over and over.

The whole ensemble of cast has done an awesome job. Right from the extra you see in the background to Imran Khan. Vijay Raaz really defines the term "effortless acting". Right from the start of the movie it is shown just how the real world is. Delhi Belly is unpredictable. You probably won't even try to predict what will happen next because you will be too busy trying to drink in the explosion of humor on screen.

It (the movie) is really bold in some areas. I actually am still wondering how it got through the Censor Board without taking out the stuff that I saw. If this movie has an uncensored version, I would buy it in the blink of an eye.

I am quite ecstatic that Aamir has branched out from the typical movies he produces to invest in something so uncanny. Bollywood really needs more movies like Delhi Belly. Not the pretentious love stories with the ridiculous fantastical songs every ten minutes. If you haven't watched it yet, open a new tab right now and book tickets. Really, open a new tab...NOW!!

I'd rate this movie 11/10 if it were possible.