Hi Folks,


Caught the press screening of Bheja Fry (something that fry's my brain as in an irritant) last night at the Century Berryessa in San Jose. Every so often, and it does not happen too often, comes along a low hype, low key film that surprises with it's simplicity, shocks positively with it's inherent and understated humour and then when it ends, you almost want to sit back and watch the whole sequence of events unfold again, because you want to enjoy it all over again.

Chashme Badoor was one such film, Janne Bhi Do Yaroon was one such film and after a long, long time, Bheja Fry is one such film. The common theme amongst all these were that it had VERY STRONG and VERY TRAINED actors, albeit not stars and this was their platform, which they grabbed in a very non melodrmatic way.

Bheja Fry has a plethora of solid actors, Rajat, US return Vinay (his "shudh" Hindi makes you wonder whether he ever left UP all his life, but surprisingly the guy is from the US), Ranvir (playing the ITO officer to perfection, have to hand it to this guy, he is young, yuppy, yet does not hesitate to play over the top "non cool" characters, whom he makes really cool), why even "super model" Milind plays a regular guy and does it really well. Then there is Sarika, complimenting all of these males and holding her own with a lot of panache.

What is the highlight of the film......ALL OF IT!! Rajat's natural, yet oh - so- wonderful potrayal of the slimy Music Director- Vinay's dual persona of a cricket loving, wannbee singer, Income Tax Officer- Or Ranvir giving the traditional Income tax threat of "I will audit you!" Actually the beauty of this film is the "lack of over the top ness" and a surprising "closeness to real world characters." I can tell you growing up in Bombay, I have experienced each one of these charcters in some aspect of my life. The uniqueness being that they are all regular characters and regualr "9 to 5 'ers" yet within therin persona lies enough quirkes to make them grow on to you.

I mean let's face it, as a film industry, we have a pathetic record with comedy, yet in the real Mumbai and real Delhi and the real interaction of desis in the US or UK or Dubai (at least the places I can intelligently talk about), we have so much mirth, so why then does it not make it to our screens? Why are all "wonderful films" all about issues? Why can't it kust be pure unadultrated fun.

Almost like life in the Silicon Valley. The people per se, have fun, yet all we have are issue based charitable organizations and not for profits ...I mean gimme a break, I am not against assisting people in life, but we all need a balance and need that one film that you can sit back and enjoy, and enjoy and not give a damn or feel apologetic that you are having a good time....after all you work hard to play hard and this film let's you.

So much that I swear by the Yash Raj and Karan products and much that I like serious films Black Friday, I think the pie and life as a whole is very well complemented with the BHEJA FRY's of the world.

This is the understated, yet overall fun film to come out of Handmade Films and it gives me great pleasure to know that ADLABS is supporting it and as is the Indian audience. Knowing my obsession with the bottom line this film, has already made a NET PROFIT (yeah none of that gross collection crap that floats around) of Rs 10 crores.

I have always maintained that the desi audience is way more intelligent than filmmakers give us credit for, cuase even to make/act/direct classic comedy and finally to watch and appreciate it, takes intelligence. Any dumb person can shed tears and shout and enact melodrama, matter of fact melodrama is a "low IQ diversion of the writer" but "continued and sustainable comedy is hard and Bheja Fry's writers/actors and director gives us that mental treat"

Sincerely,



Vivek"Fellini, Ray, Shakepeare, etc are all ok, at the end of the day just give me good light hearted and entertaining comedy and you can have my $10 and more" Kumar

vivek@saafa.org