Lage Raho Munnabhai - Wogma Readers Reviews

The first one was much better than this one.

Me and my Western "Bollywood Movie Night" friends loved MUNNABHAI, MBBS, and were delighted (and a bit worried) that there was a sequel. What if it was just the same old story beats only with a different profession - like softhearted "goon" Munnabhai goes to college ala Rodney Dangerfield? Thankfully, that was far from the case - this is one of our favorite Hindi movies yet, up there with AAJA NACHLE, OM SHANTI OM, KRISSH and EKLVAYA, THE ROYAL GUARD. It's even profound in spots, and surprisingly cutting about how much modern India has forgotten of Ghandhi and his principles. (We in America behave much the same way - as anybody unlucky enough to catch American political news knows, you'd be correct to wonder what George Washington and Abraham Lincoln would make of this lot of rude small-minded bozos!)

Watching Sanjay Dutt's affable, bearish petty criminal believing the spirit of Mahatma Ghandhi speaks to him, and attempting with varying degrees of success to live up to Ghandhi's example while still being a goon, is both sidesplitting funny and at times very touching. (I have a feeling the real Ghandhi dealt with many people like Munnabhai during his lifetime, and Dilip Prabhawalkar's amused patience while attempting to teach passive resistance to such an unlikely pupil feels spot-on.) Probably the best part is when Munnabhai, who originally began studying Ghandhi's teachings simply to impress Vidya Balan's vivacious morning DJ, starts to behave normally in accordance with Ghandhi's principles without even being aware of how much he's changed. Sanjay Dutt convinces you of his transformation seamlessly, and without ever losing his half-comical, half-menacing aura - his call on Ms. Balan's radio show of "We Be Ghandhi'ing NOW!" as he dispenses advice on how to nonviolently and honestly deal with modern Indians' problems perfectly sums up both the contradictions of his character, and how he manages to make it work anyway. As the woman he's smitten with, Vidya Balan has an appealing mix of sweet and sharp, so you believe she might actually give her heart to an older Holy Fool with a criminal past, who believes Ghandhi speaks through him.

Arshad Warshi repries his role as Munnabhai's sidekick/best pal Circuit, who provides hilarious counterpoint as somebody who's...trying because his "brother" asks him to, but just can't quite get the hang of this whole satyagraha business. (His handing out beatdowns followed by apologies shouldn't be nearly as funny as it is, but it works because it's so in keeping with Circuit's character.) A bunch of supporting players from MUNNABHAI, MBBS show up here in new roles, most notably Boman Irani - here as a semi-crooked builder trying to impress his astrology-obsessed potential in-laws.

The film's coda has Ghandhi wrapping up the action via narration, then pointedly addressing the audience by saying something like "I guess only crazy people can hear what I'd taught you...?" I know a lot of commenters felt that was "preachy", but I thought it was spot-on - and something not just Indians could stand to remember, either.

Thank you.