And the party rocked…. Review on Party -Hollywood Movie

What’s in a name? The Bard asked and lot of us agreed too. Though the times when people refuse to understand and pronounce my name right, I question this age-old wisdom. I mean I call and they ask “Who? Radha?” So then I stress on the A and say “Nahi nahi! AAA bha” and guess what they say? “Kaun? AADHA?!” Aaarrgghhh! So now I just spell it after saying it once. Why did I get into this prologue? Because I am used to start my reviews with my personal ramblings that create a sort of logical link with what I want to say (eventually, I hope!).

If my plight with a simple and short name is such, then imagine the state of a man who is trying to make a mark in Hollywood with a name like Hrundi V Bakshi, pronounced as Whooroondi (don’t ask me how and why?).

Hrundi is the main protagonist, played superbly by Peter Sellers in the old time classic movie Party. If you liked Kamal Hasan’s Pushpak, you will love the precursor of movies like that. Party is not a silent movie, but it doesn’t have too many dialogues either. It is a classy slapstick comedy that leaves you with a huge grin on your face.

The movie starts with a scene where a movie is being shot, a war scene in the desert and Hrundi is playing some kind of bugle and getting shot. He is wearing a water proof watch while shooting a period film and gets hollered at for that. Cut to next scene, the team has set dynamite to blow up a structure specially built for the movie. Ambles by our Hrundi and steps on the lever that triggers the dynamite to tie his shoe laces!

The sheer anger on the director’s face as he throws Hrundi out of the movie for good is hilarious! Following this the director calls the producer to tell him about the mishap, and he scribbles Hrundi’s name on a piece of paper and leaves telling his secy that the list for the invitees for a party at his residence on his table. You guessed it right! Our Hrundi’s name is on that list by mistake and the kicked-out man gets an exclusive invite for the party and that’s where the movie actually starts and how!

Hrundi arrives at the party wearing his best suit and white shoes in a cute little blue car (if you can it that!). Seeing the uppity maid giving him a look, he looks for a reason for her disdain and finds he has stepped in some dirt and his precious white shoe has a black edge that isn’t supposed to be there! He tries to clean it by dipping it in the swimming pool and the shoe floats away! From there the entire scenes that show how Hrundi gets his shoe back are so funny.

The whole movie is about Hrundi’s faux-pas at the party, the way he meets people, the way react to him and the situations that arise out of it are what make this movie brilliant.

There aren’t too many dialogues, but a lot of background sound and noises that lends authenticity to the whole scenario-the chattering of people, the tinkling of glasses and clatter of plates and spoons. But wherever there are dialogues they are perfect.

There are lots of things happening in the sidelines. The waiter who drinks all the alcohol refused or left over by the guests is the parallel lead almost. His behavior before he has had the first glass and then the change after every subsequent glass is nothing short of first rate.

The Party even has an elephant walking into it! You might have seen cake fights in movies, but in this party you see the entire house becoming a huge bubble bath!

I don’t really know the actors, but Hrundi is played to perfection by the legendary Peter Sellers who manages to look like an Indian and talk the talk too.

The Party is your complete family viewing enjoyed by everyone from 6 to 60 and beyond! In every character, you will see a little bit of someone you know or yourself and then you will go ahead and laugh some more!

A very recommended must watch!

Let the party begin!!!!!!!!!!!!