Gol Maal - Movie Review

Published: February 24, 2010

By EKTA R. GARG

Starring Amol Palekar, Utpal Dutt

“Oh, what a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive”—wise words by Sir Walter Scott—and the theme of Gol Maal, directed by Bollywood legend Hrishikesh Mukherjee.

Ram Prasad Sharma (Amol Palekar) passes the difficult Chartered Accountant exam and gets a lead on a job with Bhavani Shankar (Utpal Dutt). Ram Prasad’s uncle encourages him to play it straight at the interview, so the happy-go-lucky, sports-loving youth turns into one serious guy, who oils his hair to a fine sheen and pretends to be clueless about sports. Despite all the traditional trappings in the film, such as Ram Prasad’s clothes and his pure Hindi, Mukherjee makes sure the audience knows they are on the cusp of a new decade. English dialogue is sprinkled throughout the film, and references to the Western world abound. Also, Shankar is looking for people with no experience to join his company, believing more experienced employees lack the forward-thinking attitude to help his company (and the entire country) succeed. And while Ram Prasad may have traded his bell-bottoms and loud print shirts for dull apparel and a quiet demeanor at work, he reverts to his real self outside the office. He’s a young man enjoying life with his friends, their loud music parties, and their obsession with sports.

The latter gets Ram Prasad in trouble. He tells a white lie to get off work early to attend a field hockey match. By coincidence the boss also goes to the match and sees Ram Prasad there. Shankar confronts him the next day, so Ram Prasad invents a fictional twin brother and tells Shankar the brother (whom he names Laxman) was at the match—not him. He goes further and describes the brother as a loafer who goofs off every day, while Ram Prasad, by his own comparison, is the sober, responsible twin who supports the entire family.

Shankar offers to help Ram Prasad straighten his brother out and hires “Laxman” to teach his daughter, Urmila, how to sing. Confusion abounds as Ram Prasad tries to juggle life as himself and his own twin, and things only get worse when Urmila falls in love with Laxman, but her father wants her to marry Ram Prasad.

Mukherjee was best known for films like this one that were driven by simple plots and situations. He never kowtowed to the glitz and glamour of Bollywood and believed instead in exalting storylines, making films such as this one a treat to watch even more than 30 years after its release.

The movie tends to drag in the last half-hour, but it is nonetheless a fun, lighthearted switch from some of the more thoughtful fare that Bollywood directors are working so hard to make these days. The music, in particular, is worth mentioning, especially the classic song, “Aane Wala Pal,” sung by Laxman in his first lesson with Urmila.

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