Raat Gayi Baat Gayi Hindi Movie
It's uncanny, watching a film about a hangover even as you are recuperating from one. Happy New Year, one and all.
Trifles aside, while Raat Gayi Baat Gayi has been assumed by many to be 'inspired' by the recent Hollywood mega-hit The Hangover, it is anything but that. Unlike The Hangover, the 'What the hell happened last night?' premise in Sourabh Shukla's film serves as foil to a story about men and marriage.
The actual plot of RGBG, in fact, is a bit of a yawn- and after all the fuss; the revelation in the end is timid and disappointing. Unfortunately, it also lacks the clarity and incision to work completely as a quirky examination of characters and relationships either. Serious comedy is difficult business, and few, like Woody Allen manage to walk this tightrope well, RGBG thus inevitably feels like an unsatisfying effort.
So while I'm not particularly hung over on this one, competent performances by the cast, however power this one through to make it eminently watchable. The ensemble cast led by Rajat Kapoor and Vinay Pathak (including Ranvir Shorey- a total hoot in his usual oddball cameo), is completely what how you expect, and I mean that in a good way; there is clearly a great comfort level between these actors, and their onscreen chemistry keeps the film ticking and its audience fairly engaged. Mention must be made of Neha Dhupia, who has matured into a reliably good actor, and she does her femme fatale act impressively.
But the real standout for me was Navneet Nishan as Jolly, the tactless blabbermouth with a heart of gold. You feel for her as she struggles to keep up with her intellectual friends and husband, facing insult bracingly- and as you see her in her last scene, you get the feeling that maybe she's not as stupid as she looks. It's a performance with both humor and empathy, and it's unfortunate that the film doesn't linger in the same way- Like its name, I doubt if I'll remember much of it the following morning.
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