‘Atithi Tum Kab Jaoge?’: Inescapably, painfully funny
March 8, 2010
Starring Ajay Devgan, Konkona Sen Sharma, Paresh Rawal
As all fans of foreign film know, jokes don’t always translate across cultures and comedies from other countries are often hard to appreciate. So much of humor is imbedded in the way language is used, and comedic dialogue also tends to be rapid fire, so even keeping up with subtitles can be tough. Cultural references, which in the case of Indian comedies are very unfamiliar to most Westerners, are also comedically employed. But forgoing Hindi comedy—a bastion of hilarious farce and biting social satire—for any reason would be a mistake. And you can’t go wrong with anything that stars Indian actor Paresh Rawal, who transcends cultural barriers with delivery that’s so funny you almost don’t need to understand what’s going on. Atithi Tum Kab Jaoge? is not Rawal’s best comedy, but the show is all his.
The film is accessible for another reason. Discomfiting comedy is popular in the West, and this movie is as painful as anything Larry David or Ricky Gervais can dish out. Rawal plays Chachaji, a villager and self-anointed cultural cop, who shows up on the doorstep of his nephew, Puneet (Ajay Devgan), a screenwriter living in suburban Mumbai with his wife, Munmun (Konkona Sen Sharma), and their adorable six-year-old son. There’s a saying in India, “The guest is God,” and hospitality, especially toward family, is a moral imperative. Puneet and Munmun have no choice but to welcome him into their home and play host to him during his long, indefinite stay. Not only do his traditional ways clash with their modern lifestyle, but he’s also an obnoxious boor, who intrudes on their privacy and makes unreasonable demands of their time.
Devgan started his career as an action hero and later evolved into one of the best tragedians in cinema. He’s been in numerous comedies, but it’s always surprising to see that he has such light and enjoyable comedic flair. Sharma, a normally impressive actress, unfortunately doesn’t get the chance to do much more than sigh and complain in the film.
There’s one particularly hilarious song in the film that requires explanation. “Jyoti Jalale,” is a spoof of the song “Beedi,” a sexy number from the 2006 film Omkara (in which, incidentally, Devgan and Sharma star as brother and sister)—the words are changed to be worshipful and Rawal takes the place of actress Bipasha Basu, who performed it originally.
The film’s premise is a hoot for the first half hour, and then it becomes unbearable. And it’s meant to. It creates the exact same feelings of intense annoyance—and guilt over feeling annoyed—in the audience that the characters are enduring. Chachaji is oblivious to the fact that he’s maddeningly irritating. He’s a lonely man, liked by no one, but he likes them. In fact, he becomes a doting uncle to their little boy, brings old customs into their home, and reminds this nuclear unit that, for good or bad, extended family is indispensable.
Atithi Tum Kab Jaoge? is rated Worth Watching.
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