Sorry Bhai!

I had watched this movie with many a premonitions in my mind...believe me for a bollywood movie, this on really sets some standards : whether be it for a good script, a good casting or overall holistic treatment given to the movie.

Sorry Bhai is the story of a family which goes to attend the wedding of its 'prodigal' son in Mauritius. As it is obvious from the title the story then focuses on an another obvious theme : 'a love triangle'. But if you dismiss this movie right about now, saying that you have been there and seen such kind of movies, its very unlikely that you are wrong. For bollywood doesn't produce such good and seasoned films many times in a year ...and as the year 2008 has almost come to an end, Sorry Bhai definitely earns it place in the elite cadre.

To mention about the strengths, this movie has definitely got everything in place : its actors, it beautiful location (in Mauritius of course) and a storyline (which except for some points in time seems to be a bit immature/unacceptable for Indian audiences) never loses track or its feel-good factor.

IF you are expecting a totally masala flick from this movie, then I suggest you give his one a miss, but if all you want to do is watch a movie and have a good feeling about it at the end then this one is definitely for you.

My rating 9/10 ...the reason for 9 being that it falls short of a little more panache and mature screenplay/dialogues which definitely could be incorporated at certain portions during the film. But what the heck, I believe all of you who would be watching the movie, would be your own judge for that matter.

For a limited cast of only five characters, Sorry Bhai is a markedly refreshing departure from standard Bollywood rom com fare. The movie plays around with a simple theme of sibling equations as influenced by the catalyst called the elder siblings fiancée. The script is a typical take on the 'dysfunctional-family-comes-together-for-a-cause' mold. Harsh (Sanjay Suri) has been away from his family for a while his younger brother Sid (Sharman Joshi) tries for a research grant for his latest hypothesis. When Harsh decides to get married to Aaliyah (Chitrangada Singh), he pleads his younger brother to get his parents, especially his mom for the wedding. The fun in dysfunctional is put in by the antics of the parents, played with superb chemistry by Boman Irani and Shabana Azmi. They take this one further than their first stint as a couple in Honeymoon Travels Pvt. Ltd.

Sharman Joshi as the genius younger brother does a pretty good job keeping up his boyish yet mature image while Chitrangada Singh essays a role that perhaps doesn't present her as much of a challenge as the one in her debut did. For an actress of her potential, this is just about par for the course and she is underutilized. On the brighter side, the scenes shared by her and Shabana Azmi deserve special mention. Sanjay Suri exudes quiet confidence as usual and it fits his big brother persona perfectly. The slow narrative (you sort of expect that with a limited cast of characters) is a bit of a dampener though the locales of Mauritius provide a picturesque background for the well shot scenes.

Sorry Bhai deserves a watch, at least for being far better off than the apology of a movie that other comedies have become.

Taking the decidedly uncomfortable premise of a man hooking up with his brother's girl, Sorry Bhai is a brave little film that puts a fresh spin on the tale. Bumbling younger brother Sharman Joshi arrives in Mauritius with his parents Shabana Azmi and Boman Irani to attend elder brother Sanjay Suri's wedding, and ends up falling in love with his brother's fiancée Chitrangada Singh. The triangle that ensues involves Sharman, Chitrangada and – no, not Sanjay who seems to wisely move on – but the boys' overbearing mother Shabana who gets herself irreparably entangled in this awkward mess. At the very core of Sorry Bhai's drama is the magnificent Shabana Azmi who takes her role and immediately sinks her teeth into it, constructing a character that is all flesh-and-blood. From the little moments – like the one in which she follows Sharman and Chitrangada into the woods, only to hurt her foot before she can confirm her suspicions – to the significant ones (which include her clashes with her daughter-in-law to be), Shabana is always on the ball, and makes her character omnipresent in the movie, even when she's not physically around in every frame.A word of praise also for the immensely gifted Boman Irani who has a tougher job at hand – making a solid believable person out of what was probably a three-line character sketch on paper. Boman adds the right comic touch and just the perfect hint of melancholy to create an affectionate lug of a father who speaks less but delivers gems every time he does. The plot of Sorry Bhai may be simplistic, but the film is not so much about the plot as it is about the characters, and director Onir does a fine job of writing complex, flawed characters who don't come with any easy answers. Chitrangada's character, for one, is a tough nut to crack – why does she appear almost unaffected when Sanjay puts off their wedding to attend to a pressing business commitment; why does she suddenly decide to pursue Sharman with such dogged determination; does she really feel no responsibility to Sanjay for what's just happened? These are important questions all, but the answers are hard to find. Much like life, if you think about it. Of the three leads, Sharman Joshi plays his part with such sincerity, you're willing to look at his flawed character with renewed sympathy. The radiant Chitrangada Singh is awkward in places, but puts up a good show nevertheless, especially in her scenes with Shabana. Sanjay Suri, despite the weak characterisation, does the best he can with his role, in particular nailing the film's one defining scene in which Sharman makes the big confession, to which he responds with shock, anger, and even a little affection. Sorry Bhai is not devoid of faults – the film occasionally gets too talkie, and in some places a little silly too – but the film's real charm lies in those memorable moments the director creates between his two favorite players – Shabana and Chitrangada. That's the reason to watch this film.It's a strong character-driven drama about imperfect people trying to find their own happiness in the world. Don't miss it.

Onir has made the heartfelt My Brother Nikhil and the ponderous Bas Ek Pal before this, and must have wanted to do a romantic comedy-drama for a change, but maybe this is just not his genre.He fails to hold your attention for two hours. The biggest blame for the same goes for the poor scripting. Sorry Bhai is predictable from the word go and the dull pace literally puts you off to sleep. The film "Sorry Bhai" has a set of elderly couple romancing on screen and three youngsters who are confused over their relationship. The film has a simple script with no twists and turns but the actors are smart to make the show less tedious. A few moments in the film are catchy and most of the part is predictable. The film has been shot in Mauritious and the locations are beautiful. Actors are non glamorous but effective performers and dialogues are impressive. Only weakness is the script that has low scope to get dramatic. Sharman Joshi as the younger shy brother looks fine in his role. Shabana Azmi and Boman are amazing and their on screen chemistry has been exploited well in the film. Sanjay Suri is OK. Chitra looks OK performance wise. A Below Average Flick ...

Sorry bhai is the testimony to the fact that Bollywood is moving forward and the new crop of directors on the right track. The performances have all been wonderful. Sharman Joshi is developing as a good actor and if he chooses his films wisely he can one day become one of the best. Sanjay Suri proves that he is the best from among all model turned actors. The chemistry between Boman Irani and Shabana Azmi is better than what is between most actors and actresses today. They both look a very good pair on screen. Chitrangadha Singh is not only a good actress but is one of the most beautiful ladies of Bollywood and she proves that one can look sensual and hot without shedding clothes. Sharman Joshi has a tinge of comedy in his acting which is only going to help him achieve greatness.

Now about the story and direction. The story is fresh and is shot beautifully. The family relations - between brothers, mother and son, father and son, husband and wife - have been portrayed excellently. There is not an instance in the film where you will get bored. A very good script supported by some really good performances makes Sorry Bhai a real good movie. A must watch.

This year has given us some really good 'not so commercial' movies and Sorry Bhai can be said to be the top runners among them.

It breaks my heart to see films like Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna and other crappy movies like those getting nominated and winning awards just because they are made by a known director and are under a big banner whereas some really good movies and performances like this one just sits and watch. Its high time we have an Oscar like award for Bollywood movies where awards are given to performances, characters and not people who are influential.