Atithi Tum Kab Jaoge
wogma rating: Watch but no rush (?)
The light tone keeps you engaged for most of the film, especially the parodied songs. There are a few "aawwww" moments too. But, it is a tiny lecture on the changing value system and gets a little sarcastic. Cute in a very domestic sort-of a way.
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The title by itself has the power to touch any urban, nuclear family. And I wouldn't be surprised if joint families and not-so-few households in the smaller towns would be similarly affected by the title. (Now whether they acknowledge it or not is a different issue altogether.) O unannounced guest - most likely an Indian phenomenon - will thou depart in this lifetime? The humor in the title is sustained in the film. It's not laugh out loud comedy, it's not very subtle either. It keeps that smile more because your day-to-day life is echoing on screen.
The writer tries real hard to balance between two generations; between a village simpleton and the smartened, outwardly-hardened suburbanite. One has its value system intact, the other needs a little bit of dusting to reach the embedded 'good guy'. As one can imagine, all the stereotypes are in place. But they manage to get through without stepping on too many toes, too hard. You can't point at any one event or sub-plot and say, "hey, no one does that!"
And yet, it steps into slapstick-villa or preach-zone every once in a while. It makes you go cringe-cringe. And then there are times at which Ajay Devgn and Konkona Sen Sharma go over-the-top. And that makes you go cringe-cringe too.
Sure, between those cringes are the smiles and the laughs. At the silliness, at the good jokes and at the repetitions that work. There are also songs which are parodies of old, popular songs. Much fun and entertainment they are.
And then there is Paresh Rawal - the perfect annoying, intrusive, meddling house-guest! It is just fun watching him a clean, nice comedy.
Yet there is so much missing! Atithi is also another attempt at a Hrishikesh Mukherjee/Basu Chatterjee type of a film. There is even a tribute to Hamari Bahu Alka. But Atithi gets nowhere close to that charm or the warmth that those films exude.
But the sarcasm is hard to miss. And sarcasm ain't all fun. I mean parents today sure can't teach their kids Sanskrit shlokas just like the older generation can't teach polished English or higher level Mathematics. Anyway, shouldn't all that be done by the people who are trained to do that - the teachers?! Then, what's the point of that whole sub-plot. Why use it to belittle that the parents are doing? I could literally go on and on about this issue. These are stereotypes we learn to live with. We flare at them when we see them in films, and move on.
SO. Yeah, Atithi is serious about what it wants to say, very serious. But tries its best to keep it light. Keep the laughs going. And it does do a decent job of it, too.
- meeta, a part of the audience
Thumbs up, by Noyon Jyoti Parasara, AOL INDIA : ...While the concept is quite universal, ‘Atithi’ also has great dialogues.... full review
Thumbs up, by Nikhil Kumar, Apun Ka Choice : ...frothy sit-com that entertains you without ever stooping down into slapstick. ... full review
Thumbs up, by Taran Adarsh, Bollywood Hungama : ...But the writing wanders into unwanted areas, which could've been avoided in the first place... full review
Thumbs up, by Pritam Roy, Gomolo.in : ...Paresh Rawal is at his comic best, in Hera Pheri mode.... full review
Thumbs up, India-Forums : ...Good editing work is contributed by Dharmendra Sharma. ... full review
Thumbs up, India-Forums : ...Good editing work is contributed by Dharmendra Sharma. ... full review
Thumbs up, India-Forums : ...Good editing work is contributed by Dharmendra Sharma. ... full review
Thumbs up, by Gaurav Malani, indiatimes : ...Paresh Rawal’s character is thankfully kept straightforward with no concealed cravings behind his visit. ... full review
Thumbs up, by Gaurav Malani, indiatimes : ...Paresh Rawal’s character is thankfully kept straightforward with no concealed cravings behind his visit. ... full review
Thumbs up, by Gaurav Malani, indiatimes : ...Paresh Rawal’s character is thankfully kept straightforward with no concealed cravings behind his visit. ... full review
Thumbs up, Movie Talkies : ...The cast turns in an exemplary performance.... full review
Thumbs up, by Ashok Nayak, Now Running.com : ...The story is good, has a good little twist in the end. ... full review
Thumbs up, by Proneet Dutta, Passion for Cinema : ...Ajay has become very good in comedy , But its Konkana who surprises you with a restrain act . ... full review
Thumbs up, by K N Gupta, SmasHits.com : ...The movie runs on the bold shoulders of the three lead characters - Ajay Devgn, Konkona Sen Sharma and Paresh Rawal.... full review
Thumbs up, by K K Rai, STARDUST : ...Ajay Devgan seems to have mastered the art of understated comedy that was the hallmark of movies made by Hrishikesh Mukherjee and Basu Bhattacharya during eighties.... full review
Thumbs up, by Nikhat Kazmi, Times of India : ...Neat. Subtle. And softly funny... full review
Thumbs up, by SpiceZee Bureau, Zee News : ...Ajay Devgn and Konkona Sen Sharma are cute and perfectly complement each other. Satish Kaushik and Sanjay Mishra are impressive. ... full review
So-So, by Bobby Sing, Bobby Talks Cinema.com : ...Instead of writing some novel and fresh scenes in the script, the writers have gone for the usual comic punches ... full review
So-So, by Deepa Garimella, fullhyd.com : ...The concept of Atithi is smart, and the wit is woven neatly, with a lot of cozy domestic humour. ... full review
So-So, by Martin D' Souza, Glamsham.com : ...Rawal annoys so much that you feel for the couple and along with them want to kick him out of their house.... full review
So-So, by Shweta Parade, IBN Live : ...What scores is that the film does not have slapstick or in-your-face comedy.... full review
So-So, Indicine : ...The repeated ‘farting’ tends to get disgusting over time. ... full review
So-So, Indicine : ...The repeated ‘farting’ tends to get disgusting over time. ... full review
So-So, Indicine : ...The repeated ‘farting’ tends to get disgusting over time. ... full review
So-So, by Sampurn, real bollywoood : ...The story (Ashwini Dhir) may be thin but it is one which every family can identify with. ... full review
So-So, by Nithya Ramani, Rediff : ...There are unnecessary lectures on how guests are equal to God, and could have been edited out. ... full review
So-So, by Sonia Chopra, Sify Movies : ...The central flaw with the film is its failure to evoke sympathy for the central characters. ... full review
So-So, by Jina Dcruz, The Road Not Taken : ...There is nothing incredulous about it because all of us at some point in our lives have been there-either as the unwanted pesky guest or the exasperated gracious hosts.... full review
Thumbs down, by Deepa Gahlot, cinemaah : ...Three stars’ dates were managed, a quick one-location film could be produced, keeping a couple of Hollywood films in mind... full review
Thumbs down, by Mayank Shekhar, Hindustan Times : ...If the belaboured and sporadic humour thereafter isn’t dull enough, they stuff in so many third-rate songs, you feel a bit of a troubled host yourself.... full review
Thumbs down, by Mihir Fadnavis, india.com : ...The plot seems to be put out directly from the mad-libs style screenplay generator that Bollywood must have dozens of in every studio office.... full review
Thumbs down, by Mihir Fadnavis, india.com : ...The plot seems to be put out directly from the mad-libs style screenplay generator that Bollywood must have dozens of in every studio office.... full review
Thumbs down, by Mihir Fadnavis, india.com : ...The plot seems to be put out directly from the mad-libs style screenplay generator that Bollywood must have dozens of in every studio office.... full review
Thumbs down, by Anupama Chopra, NDTV : ...But mostly, Atithi feels laboured and long.... full review
Thumbs down, by Subhash K Jha, Now Running.com : ...At mid-point director Dheer and his characters including the indefatigable Paresh have run out of steam.... full review
Thumbs down, by Jahan Bakshi, Now Running.com : ...Barely halfway into the film, Atithi already begins to show signs of turning into an often cringe-worthy, and thoroughly tedious and preachy drama that just goes on and yawn... full review
Thumbs down, by Shilpa Jamkhandikar, Reuters : ...Perhaps these filmmakers forget the cardinal rule of laughter — it doesn’t work if you try too hard.... full review
Thumbs down, by Mr Care, Upper Stall : ...jay Devgan's strength is not comedy, and though he tries hard to keep it real, it is obvious he'd rather be standing on mobikes than play a domesticated script writer.... full review
Twitter reviews for this movie are not available.
This page has additional observations, other than the ones noted in the main review.
Parental Guidance:
- Violence: None
- Language: mostly clean
- Nudity & Sexual content: A not-so-great hotel/lodge cleared of prostitutes. Its implied, nothing explicit
- Concept: That of remembering our culture and tradition of being hospitable and respectful towards the older generation.
- General Look and Feel: Light and peppy.
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Comments (5)
Nice review. Is it 'O announced guest' or 'unannounced guest' ?
@mahesh oopsie-doopsie-poopsie...thanks for pointing it out. Rectified.
wow nice movie. still cant stop laughing remembering the "Kalia" episode in movie. Must watch movie if not in cinema hall atleast on DVD!
Nice film. Paras Rawal steals the show - as he always does in a comic role. Ajay Devgan and Konkona Sen Sharma are quite good too but completely shadowed by Paras Rawal. Miss his films now that he has other professional matters to cater to.
** Paresh ** and not Paras. Sorry for the typo.
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