Review Bheja Fry : Bharat Bhushan Ki Jai Ho

Sagar Ballary’s film Bheja Fry is disappointing. It is disappointing for one and only one reason – Bheja Fry does not live-up to its title. On the contradictory it does the complete opposite, no bheja frying business only pure entertainment.

Shocking Na! I mean it’s become a habit for us cinema lovers; week after week we go to our nearest theatres to watch Hindi films with 80-20 expectations. Meaning, 80% certainty that the film we are about to watch will be a total dud, bheja fry in other words. And 20% uncertainty that it might actually be a paisa-vasool investment. Thankfully, Bheja Fry fell under the latter category and thereby my Saturday night was saved from another disaster.

Bheja Fry falls under the category of low budget Hinglish films, an out-n-out comedy minus David Dhawan’s double meaning jokes or Bhagam Bhag kind-da senseless laugh riot.

The plot revolves around an affluent music company owner Ranjeet Thandani who along with his other high society friends organizes talent dinners every Friday night. But hey, this is not your regular Indian Idol type talent search get-together. It’s a dinner where all these snooty socialites are required to bring along one such “idiot”, who shall be responsible for entertaining each and everyone present with his non-existing talent, at his own expense but ofcourse. The one who gets the most entertaining idiot is the winner of that particular week.

With his lucky stars (or unlucky as it later turns out) shinning bright on him, Ranjeet finds his “bakra” aka. Mr. Bharat Bhushan for the coming Friday night thanks to an old friend. Bharat Bhushan, who is an Income Tax officer and a singer wannabe, gets totally excited on receiving Ranjeet’s dinner invitation and accepts it in a jiffy. Obviously he has no idea what this whole dinner affair is all about.

On the night of the talent-dinner, Ranjeet and his wife Sheetal have argument as a result of which she gets totally pissed off and walks out on him. Precisely then apna idiot Bharat Bhushanji lands up at Ranjeet’s house and that’s when everything starts taking a spiral turn, leaving Ranjeet totally helpless and instate of misery.

A film of this caliber does not showoff amazing camerawork or any other revolutionary technical aspects. The script written by director Sagar Ballary, himself, is well crafted but tends to get a bit repetitive especially in the second half, leaving no surprises (or shocks) for the audience to experience.

To me the two aspects in which Bheja Fry excels with flying colors are its wittily penned dialogues and its main protagonist, Bharat Bhushan.

Vinay Pathak as Bharat Bhushan is simply outstanding. But I guess such fine acting skills and brilliant comic timing is expected from him, especially if you have seen his television stints. He blends very well with Bhushan’s character – His look, mannerisms, genuine sincerity, silly grin, child-like innocence, laughing style and every other such detailing taken care to perfection.

Rajat Kapoor as the arrogant and easily provoked Ranjeet Thandani is just about perfect. On the other hand, the support cast in the form of Ranvir Shorey, Sarika, Bhairavi Goswami and Milind Soman are totally wasted due to less screen time and empty character sketches. But on the positive side, Vinay Pathak makes up for all of them.

It’s sad to see exceptional actors like Ranvir Shorey, Vinay Pathak and Rajat Kapoor missing from the masala movie scene just because our top-notch production houses don’t consider them worthy-investments. But I guess the lack of commercialization is what keeps their performances so fine and pure.

Anyways going back to the review, Bheja Fry is a must watch for all, especially those who appreciate quality cinema over glitzy cinema.