Just like Terminator 2, Lage Raho Munnabhai turns out to be far better than the first movie, Munnabhai M.B.B.S. Defintely the best Bollywood movie of this year (yes, I'll have to agree with all the reviewers on the net), this movie and not Rang De Basanti, should have been sent to the Oscars as India's official entry. For one, RDB espoused violence as a solution to the problems India (and the rest of the world) faces, but LRM rightfully reminds us to look back at Gandhi's principles (not his political ones, mind you) and urges us to imbibe them. Ah, it's all together another issue that neither of these movies should be sent to the Oscars, though Munnabhai 2 defintely is a movie that India needs to market around the world.
Munnabhai & Circuit are in full form in LRM!!! And, we love them!!!! Sanjay Dutt is perfect as Munnabhai (as always) and Arshad Warsi as Circuit is a pleasure to the sore eyes. In particular, Circuit's reactions to Munnabhai's Gandhi halucinations are the peak moments in comedy!! The rest of the cast ably supports our two heroes ...... Mention must be made of Boman Irani -- once again he shows us what a fine actor he is .... Having seen him play Gandhi in Mahatma vs Gandhi (Feroze Khan <not the pathetic actor FK> directed play) way back in 1999, I was always hoping this actor should make it big so I can keep watching him on screen. Three cheers for Boman!!!! The songs are irrelevant, but fun to watch. At least, they are not pretentious like other Bollywood song & dance routines ........
Rajkumar Hirani's script is a relevant social commentary on the state of affairs in India and how we need to get back Gandhi's ideals in our lives to make some changes. As Jhanvi (Vidya Balan) says at the end "..... I've seen many professors who preach Gandhi, Munna you are the first person I've met who actually practices what Gandhi stood for .....". This sentence sums up the movie .... Hirani's direction is top notch and he proves a second time that he's one of the promising new crop of directors in Bollywood (Lord: please spare me from the crappy bunch of Johars/Barjatyas/Chopras et al).
Way to go Hirani & Vidhu Vinod Chopra (the producer) ...... more Munnabhais to come????
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