A prominent director is about to host a screening for the famous celebrity Priyanka Chopra when the bad news comes in. His favourite Gajya Kaka (uncle) suffered a sudden brain hemorrhage and has been put on Ventilator. He hastes to the hospital. Turns out he is not the only family member to do so... The hospital waiting area soon fills up with near and distant relative. Some who care. Some who have their own ulterior agendas. News travels to the native village and a retinue of relatives leave from there posthaste. Some are concerned about the Ganapati festival that's right round the corner. Some are concerned about property disputes that would erupt post Gaju Kaka's death... Hardly anyone gives a thought as to why Gaju Kala was put on the ventilator in the first place. Its been a long time since our famous and busy protagonist has been amidst all these relatives together. Meeting all these quirky characters is a bit overwhelming. Gaju Kaka's son is too busy frying fish for his own career in politics. The fact that all wasn't well between him and Gaju kaka doesn't help. And there is the friction with his own father that the protagonist has to contend with... Will Gaju kaka ever get well?
The first half of the movie is a nonstop ride of fun and frolic as we are treated to a host of weirdest and zaniest characters from Gaju Kaka's nearest to the most distant relatives. A collection of quirky characters that make up almost every big family in the world... Exasperating, endearing individuals who are difficult to live with and maybe even more difficult to live without... The movie captures their quirks and presents them to us in a refreshingly comic fashion, without overdoing it... The underlying satire of people being their usual selves even in the backdrop of a grave emergency in the family makes it both funny as well as a social commentary about us humans. It portrays all these characters in a perfect mix of love, care and greed - the three emotions that define us all most...
In the second half the movie takes a serious turn. While they wait for the neuro-surgeon, observing and interacting with all the near and distant relatives and friends is an eye-opening and humbling experience for our protagonist. The ties that bind a father and a son are not always straight and simple. They are sometimes full of kinks and knots. While he watches these kinks straighten and knots unravel between Gaju kaka and his son, the protagonist slowly begins to understand and appreciate the fragility of the ties under all those knots... And this helps him reconcile his differences with his own father...
This movie is a pure tear-jerker - i.e. It will make you cry with laughter. And at the same time it will also make you shed a tear or two as you begin to empathize and relate with the characters therein.
Most of the actors have acted quite well. Which was to be expected when the movie boasts of a mammoth ensemble of some of the best Marathi actors - including stalwarts like Viju Khote, Usha Nadkarni, Sukanya Kulkarni-Mone, Shashank Shende, etc. The lead protagonist - through whose eyes we see the saga unfold - is played by Ashutosh Gowarikar. And while I will maintain that Ashutosh is a much better director than he is an actor (which he himself agreed in an interview), I would also state that - to be fair, returning to acting after such a huge gap, he has performed quite well. Jitendra Joshi, who plays the role of Gaju Kaka's son has also performed quite well.
Special appearances by Priyanka Chopra and Boman Irani adds some bollywood zing to the movie - not necessary, but good to have...
Marathi contemporary cinema is known to shy away from the usual bullshit that we come across nowadays in bollywood movies. The same can be said about this one. While some of the comic scenes appear farfetched, they are still much better than the lame comedy that bollywood comes up with nowadays. The story touches the heart, mainly because one can relate to it. Its realistic and does not venture into the usual over-dramatic bollywood masala crap. There is not a single dull moment, and the story never ever once loses its momentum. Its a fun and heart-touching ride all the way.
Certainly worth watching at least once, this is a pure family entertainer that can be enjoyed by everyone in the family - from grandchildren to grandparents.
The first half of the movie is a nonstop ride of fun and frolic as we are treated to a host of weirdest and zaniest characters from Gaju Kaka's nearest to the most distant relatives. A collection of quirky characters that make up almost every big family in the world... Exasperating, endearing individuals who are difficult to live with and maybe even more difficult to live without... The movie captures their quirks and presents them to us in a refreshingly comic fashion, without overdoing it... The underlying satire of people being their usual selves even in the backdrop of a grave emergency in the family makes it both funny as well as a social commentary about us humans. It portrays all these characters in a perfect mix of love, care and greed - the three emotions that define us all most...
In the second half the movie takes a serious turn. While they wait for the neuro-surgeon, observing and interacting with all the near and distant relatives and friends is an eye-opening and humbling experience for our protagonist. The ties that bind a father and a son are not always straight and simple. They are sometimes full of kinks and knots. While he watches these kinks straighten and knots unravel between Gaju kaka and his son, the protagonist slowly begins to understand and appreciate the fragility of the ties under all those knots... And this helps him reconcile his differences with his own father...
This movie is a pure tear-jerker - i.e. It will make you cry with laughter. And at the same time it will also make you shed a tear or two as you begin to empathize and relate with the characters therein.
Most of the actors have acted quite well. Which was to be expected when the movie boasts of a mammoth ensemble of some of the best Marathi actors - including stalwarts like Viju Khote, Usha Nadkarni, Sukanya Kulkarni-Mone, Shashank Shende, etc. The lead protagonist - through whose eyes we see the saga unfold - is played by Ashutosh Gowarikar. And while I will maintain that Ashutosh is a much better director than he is an actor (which he himself agreed in an interview), I would also state that - to be fair, returning to acting after such a huge gap, he has performed quite well. Jitendra Joshi, who plays the role of Gaju Kaka's son has also performed quite well.
Special appearances by Priyanka Chopra and Boman Irani adds some bollywood zing to the movie - not necessary, but good to have...
Marathi contemporary cinema is known to shy away from the usual bullshit that we come across nowadays in bollywood movies. The same can be said about this one. While some of the comic scenes appear farfetched, they are still much better than the lame comedy that bollywood comes up with nowadays. The story touches the heart, mainly because one can relate to it. Its realistic and does not venture into the usual over-dramatic bollywood masala crap. There is not a single dull moment, and the story never ever once loses its momentum. Its a fun and heart-touching ride all the way.
Certainly worth watching at least once, this is a pure family entertainer that can be enjoyed by everyone in the family - from grandchildren to grandparents.
My Rating:3
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