After having watched three hilarious movies K9, Uncle Buck and Once Upon a Crime from the Hollywood over the weekend, I was taken back in memories to my schooly/college days
when we used to create silly jokes of our own from any regular Hindi movie and laugh out. But for some other, there was no need to create jokes, they were so intelligently created, displayed, perfected by the situations, actors and directors that one would have to take a break and not discuss about it/them for a while till we can become normal, although a difficult task.
As somebody had quoted "A smile is a curve that sets everything straight", same way Laughter is the best medicine to forget the daily worries for while or may be even freshen up the distressed souls.
In movies of 50s & 60s, Bollywood used laughter as a deviation at times from a serious storyline. But comedians were as popular or sometimes even more than the mainstream actors/actresses. Slowly over a period of time, the comedians were recognised and they had enough share on screen to have their own songs(picturised on them). Some of them like Bhagwan, Johny Walker, Uma Devi(Tun Tun) were household names. Maybe 50s and 60s were still the age of social evils and comedy did not creep as much into movies to be a main theme even though there were some tries like Teen Batti Chaar Raaste, Mr and Mrs 55, Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi, Tere Ghar Ke Saamne, etc.
I always thought 70s and 80s had the maximum number of meaningful comedies than any other decade. Here I meant full length comedies with a digestible theme.
Barring Andaz Apna Apna, 90s onwards, comedy in Bollywood can hardly be called genuine or clean. Most of these movies resort/ed to using adult comedy which was the trend than the portrayal of the characters and the execution of the situations. Let me mention about CHI CHI. Just like Mithun Chakraborty, Govinda has immense talent. He carried many a films on his own shoulders but some of the directors(mostly David Dhawan) used Adult humour which became a handicap for this talented actor. Chi Chi is one of the best in this business. Watch his HADD Kar Di Aapne or Deewana Mastana and you will know/
Some of the new generation comedians(its unfortunate to call so) like Johny Lever, Rajpal Yadav, Paresh Rawal, Boman Irani, Arshad Warsi and many other have been used here and there but rarely has anybody experimented them as Gulzar or Hrishida did Deven Varma or Om Prakash or Utpal Dutt.
Here’s goes my list of Five Best Hindi Comedy Movies.
The ones that were in the waiting list were: PADOSAN, HALF TICKET, DEEWANA MASTANA and are equally comaprable.
1) Angoor
As mentioned in my revu on the Successful Formula in Bollywood, any budding perfomer who wants to become an actor in the truest sense, should watch Sanjeev Kumar’s movies. A Thakur in Sholay to a deaf & dumb father in Koshish to a double comic role in Angoor, Sanjeev Kumar was born to act. He is simply superb in this movie too. Aptly supported by Deven Verma. Being directed by Gulzar, dialogues are very timely, minimal but prefecto.com. One of the things that occurs to me is Its very rare to find a satire on Bollywood in a Bollywood film itself which I think Gulzar was the early directors who experimented in this movie when the twins meet and one asks the other "Tumhare Baaye Kaandhe par til hain" . Nahin. "Mere Bhi Nahin, tho fir hum dono Bhai Huye." for the Kumbh Ke mele mein Bichde Bhais.
Just three songs, but good ones with Preetam Aan milo being the hit number. The original of this song imitating KL Saigals’s voice was a big hit and here the tune suited well for the situations with hilarious lines. Chalti Hain Jab Tez Hawaein, Lahrata Hunter Lagta Hain.
2) Golmaal
The master at its best. Imagine this same guy made a Abhimaan. Hats off.
The movie belongs to Achchaaaaaaaaa! Utpal Dutt.
What a performance? I still remember after watching this movie on TV, we used to talk for days in his tone of Eeeeeeee!.Achchaaa!. Khavo Khavo. Khavoge Nahin Tho Police Ki Maar Kaise Khavoge?!
Amol Palekar did pretty well for the dual performance of Lakshman Prasad urf Lucky and Ramprasad. Simple story told in the most captivating manner. Shobha Khote and Dina Pathak will be remembered forever through this movie. Om Prakash and Kesto perform a nice job in their guest appearances. They have been a regular in Hrishida’s movies since his Tere Ghar Ke Saamne days(read my revu on the same).
Very melodious and full of Life songs from RD with Ik baat kahun gar maano Tum on Bindiya Goswami and who does not know Aane waala Pal by Kishore Kumar.?
3) Chupke Chupke
Another ever green masterpiece from Hrishida. Sometimes I wonder is he the same guy who assisted Bimal Roy and wrote scripts for some of the best social films which happen to be some really serious ones. This is one movie which you can keep watching any number of times. What was the reason that so many good films with really good scripts used to come out during those days than now or after the 90s? May be all these directors and scrit writers even dialogue writers came from towns and villages and just shared their experiences after moving to Cities which made it look like real and most of the viewers are able to relate. The authenticity remained. And eventually got lost after 90s. Nevethereless, watch it and you will see how good an actor Dharam Paaji is. Very rarely did I like this guy’s movies except the Black and White ones.;_0
T+O TO, D+O DO ho dakta hain tho G+O GU kyun nahin ho sakta?
Perfectly supported by Uhummm.Om Prakash, nervous Amitabh, beautiful and natkhat Sharmila and cute and bholi Jaya Bachchan/.
Songs and music are one of the best. Actually, if you are inclined to listen to some refreshing hindi music, listen to Chupke Chupke songs. My favourites are Baagon Mein, Chupke Chupke, Ab ke Sajan saajan Mein, sa re Ga ma, Ma Ga re Sa. Ha ha Ha almost all.
4) Jaane Bhi Do Yaaron
One of the best social satires in Hindi cinema to date. When you have Naseeruddin Shah, Om Puri, Pankaj Kapoor, Satish Shah, in one movie what else can we expect? All budding stage actors trying to make their mark on mainstream Bollywood. Just like many other classics, this was made at 7 lakhs rupees and got a late recognition but when it did, it broke many records not financial but in the movie making sense. JBDY was lucky to have come out during the times of VCDs else it would still have been known as an art film(which was what it was labelled by the initial viewers) like PAAR, KANDHAAR, etc. Just like Shawshank Redemption being one of the best movies made in Hollywood, JDBY would remain as one of the best black comedies in Indian Cinema, even though recognised lately. Best scene is the climax one. Very rarely we find that Hollywood is inspired by Indian movies, the climax scene in JBDY inpsired the Weekend at Bernie’s.
Continued in the comments section.(very rare. may be first time for me)
