Do Yourself A Favour...Watch 'Tere Bin Laden'. Review on Tere Bin Laden

The first reaction after watching Tere Bin Laden is...boy, here's this century's answer to the cult classic Jaane Bhi Do Yaaron. Also, if you go into a movie hall with minimal expectations and get rewarded with a bouquet of fun, laughter and refined intelligence, it's bound to be a smile filled ride back home. Tere Bin Laden is a mind blowing satire that keeps you in splits throughout and is also laced with a tinge of 'comment' on America's excesses but it doesn't tend to be preachy even once. Writer-Director Abhishek Sharma, take a bow. Man, you are the best news to have happened for Bollywood this year after 'Love Sex Aur Dhokha'.

For me, the primary attraction in a movie is whether it has a pertinent Context and whether it manages to stick to that context. That's exactly where Tere Bin Laden scores Big Time. A young hep Pakistani boy Ali Haasan (Ali Zafar) dreams of making it big in USA but he doesn't have the requisite monetary resources. Ali happens to be a television producer working in an 'appropriately' named TV channel Danka TV run by the howlarious Majeed Bhai (Piyush Mishra). The plot involves Ali and his cameraman Gul (Nikhil Ratnaparkhi) turning the poultry-addict Noora (Pradhuman Singh) to Osama Bin Laden. Another infamous Osama video tape mysteriously surfaces and creates world news. What happens after is a tale riddled with laughter- bombs aplenty.

Since the story is based in Pakistan, you get to hear the 'Urdu'cised-Punjabi which is a delight especially in the manner in which most of the dialogues are delivered. Statements like 'Murgha bada lazeez tha...nahin nahin...Murgha bada azeez tha' and 'Janaab ek ek photo khichva len Osama ke saath' startle you with their spontaneity. There are many moments that simply crack you up. The ironical desperation of 'Allied Forces' to nab Osama and 'toast' him has been so innovatively presented without harping upon the gross injustices. The manner in which senior American Military officer Ted (Barry John) says that they have a $100 billion budget to wipe out terrorist activities and how it has to be utilised somewhere has a poignant 'statement' hidden somewhere.

Good writing is the backbone of any film. That's the biggest strength of Tere Bin Laden. For it doesn't have any big Bollywood star. It's the story idea and the manner in which it has been executed that keeps you firmly ensconced in your seat. The popcorn smells fresh and the coffee sips are heartily enjoyable. Dialogues, when they fit into context of a good story are a deadly tool for gripping an audience. The biggest of superstars will appear fools if they are not aided by solid writing and sensible direction. Tere Bin Laden doesn't have any known saleable names but the assorted star cast will become a craze after this film.

Pakistani pop singer Ali Zafar is a wonderful find. What an effortless actor. He is not only good in the acting department, he is a very popular singer and his dream looks will give a Big run for their money to a lot of apna chikna Bolly heroes. His comic timing is impeccable and the best part is that his acting isn't laboured. Pradhuman Singh as Noora/Osama is a scene stealer. Every single time when he comes on screen, he just lights it up. His immense love for his hens/cocks, the manner in which he is unable to tear away his eyes from make up artiste's cleavage or the attempt at giving away his visiting card to a guy who's urinating next to him is very FUNNY.

Piyush Mishra as Danka TV channel owner Majeed bhai is expectedly fantastic. He is a master actor. Don't miss him extracting money from his staff if they fail to perform and how he turns an absolute chicken in front of his domineering wife and carries vegetables at her will through the market. Nikhil Ratnaparkhi as Gul has many standout moments in the film. I am sure he shall benefit a lot from this performance. Shahrukh Khan's first acting guru from Delhi, Barry John as high ranking US Military Officer Ted has a magnetic appeal. When he orders to shoot missiles to "Toast" Osama, drinks coffee in a cup with USA Cafe written on paper glass or that deliberate American accent...you know you are watching a class actor in action. Wonder why he doesn't act much. Sugandha Garg as Zoya and Rahul Singh as Qureshi play their part very well. There's an actor who plays a Pakistani intelligence officer. Don't know his name, but the manner in which he says "Ted ji" and his ambitious James Bond dreams are outragiously funny.

Santosh Thundiyil's cinematography is contextual and captures the realism very well. Editing is crisp and there's not a single dull moment in the film. Ullu Da Paththa is already a rage as far as the music is concerned. There aren't many songs during the film and most of them have been judiciously left to the music album.

Abhishek Sharma is a talent to watch out for. The expert manner in which he handles the narrative without ever going overboard or preachy is a rare thing to happen. There's not a single compromise to make the film 'commercial' in the Bollywood lingo. It doesn't take sides. If it takes digs at America then it also shows the aspirational value that America holds for many youngsters in the Indian subcontinent. Even though the film does have a message but it is more because of the circumstances of the film and not because the creative team deliberately wanted to 'Make-a-Point.'

Please do yourself a favour and watch Tere Bin Laden this weekend with your family and friends. It's an experience that will keep you smiling ear-to-ear.