Uttkrishtt 2013 Results | Editor's Pen

Hi Friends,

Thanks for the stupendous response to Uttkrishtt 2013. We found our top 10 Hindi Comedy films. Thanks a lot.

Comedy films have always got good response from Indian audience. For many, in fact most of us, going to film theatre is sort of a ritual. Like dining together with family and friends. Like a bonding moment. In our chaotic life, films have and will continue to provide respite and solace. Comedies have provided more entertainment than any other genre. Even during the darkest hours of this country, people sought some life in films and comedies provided instantly.

The value of comic element can be understood from the fact that core serious films had comedians. Most memorable moments from super hits like Sholay are the comic moments. Most memorable lines are comic. Actors like Mehmood were billed higher than many lead actors. It was a honor to conduct this survey.

Thanks a lot.
Sujoy

Gol Maal Leads The Way | Uttkrishtt 2013

1. Gol Maal (1979): Ramprasad, Laxmanprasad and the boss. Amol Palekar and Utpal Dutt made a brilliant pair. Subtle Palekar and loud Dutt complemented each other so well. Hrishida's Gol Maal is the finest Hindi comedy film ever.

2. Andaz Apna Apna (1994): Starring two emerging superstars - Salman Khan and Aamir Khan and a very highly rated actor Paresh Rawal in double role, Andaz Apna Apna is a fine example of underdog heroes and comedy of errors. What makes it unique is the fan following it has even after two decades and most of it has been word of mouth.

3. Bawarchi (1972): Remake of a Bengali comedy, Hrishida's Bawarchi is a brilliant family film where values were highlighted in such a light way that at no point film appears to be preachy but manages to teach a lot. Rajesh Khanna pulled off this film so well that along with memorable Aradhana, Amar Prem and Anand, this film is rated at one of his best.

Uttkrishtt 2013 saw a huge tie between 5 films, all ranked at #4.

4. Angoor (1982): Based on Shakespeare's play Comedy Of Errors, Gulzar's Angoor is another gem of a film. Sanjiv Kumar and Deven Verma played double roles - twin brothers seperated at birth and incidentally having same name. Characters are innocent and stay with you long. But the real king is the comedy which is genuinely situation centric.

4. Bombay To Goa (1972): One can't keep Mehmood out of any list of comedies. A road movie where Mehmood was the hero and Amitabh Bachchan and Shatrughan Sinha played side roles. Largely slapstick, Bombay To Goa influenced many films and inspired many comedians.

4. Chashme Buddoor (1981): Sai Paranjpye is known for light hearted films. Chashme Buddoor was one such film which became a classic over time. It was a high in career of actors involved. Along with Jaane Bhi Do Yaro, it is considered as best comedies made during 80s by torch bearers of alternate cinema in India.

4. Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro (1983): A cult classic, Jaane Bhi Do Yaro is one of the finest satires ever made in India. This film established many actors of parallel cinema in mainstream. This film was the template for many films in late 80s which grabbed attention of film lovers however most of them failed to build upon that.

4. Padosan (1968): 60s and 70s was the time when comedies relied more on story than situation. Padosan is one such example. Performances by Sunil Dutt and Saira Bano backed with comic timing of Kishore Kumar and Mehmood was the highlight of this film. The story of a simpleton who falls in love with a girl stole heart of the viewers.

9. Chupke Chupke (1975): Dharmendra and Amitabh Bachchan along with Sharmila Tagore, Jaya Bachchan and quintessential Om Prakash. A man vows to mock his wife's Jijaji and plots a scam that literally creates a laugh-riot.

10. Satte Pe Satta (1982): Another Amitabh Bachchan film. Seven brothers, seven brides, chaos and more chaos. Satte Pe Satta is literally a chaotic film. The USP of this film is the fact that the actors enjoyed their part so much that it reflected on screen. When its on screen, it easily win people.

Greatest Hindi Comedy - Gol Maal | A Study | Under Lens

IMDb rating of 7.8 hardly reflects the right picture. Gol Maal, directed by maverick director Hrishikesh Mukherjee, is rated at par with finest Hindi films ever made. Rank #1 at Uttkrishtt 2013 backs the opinion. But what makes Gol Maal such an iconic film? We had a discussion and came up with certain thoughts –

1. Amol Palekar and Utpal Dutt: Chemistry between these two extremely talented and equally underrated actors reflected well in their comic timing. One scene where Amol starts bluffing and creates story of his non-existent brother, their chemistry is something to look out for.

2. Story: A guy lies about having a twin brother and finds a job for him as well. For another little innocent lie, he creates a mother and also an aunt. His boss’ daughter falls in love with his non-existent persona and hates his true identity. Lies, deceit and chase, all in good humor. Story was the pillar of this film, something Hrishikesh Mukherjee always ensured.

3. Situation Based Comedy: Instead of having slapstick and non-consequential jokes, film relied on situational comedy that carried the story along. Not a scene stands out as a misfit. Hrishikesh Mukherjee had an eye of an editor. That was perhaps the reason why Gol Maal was so well trimmed.

4. Reel Reflects Real: Having a good job was on the top of wish list of contemporary youth. Little lies to get and maintain one were acceptable. Gol Maal exaggerated and romanticized the idea. By creating a romantic angle between boss’ daughter and employee, writers checked all the points.

5. Cameos And Casting: Apart from Amol Palekar and Utpal Dutt, actors like Deena Pathak, Deven Verma, Shubha Khote and Yunus Parvez formed the supporting cast. Cameos by Amitabh Bachchan and Om Prakash added the typical Hrishida feeling. However, the masterstroke was casting of Bindiya Goswami  instead of first choice Rekha who would have taken away a share of attention from Amol Palekar and Utpal Dutt pair.

Hola Sandeep | Talking About Hola Venky | Golden Podium

Last year, we had a chat with Sandeep Mohan who made a much loved film - Love, Wrinkle-free. Currently, he is involved with his new project Hola Venky!. We got a chance to talk to him again and just like last time, it was fun.

1: Sandeep, Welcome back to TRM. Its been a long road since LWF. Let’s start from where we left last time. How was the response for Love, Wrinkle Free and when will we see it in stores or television?

SM: Thanks, yeah it's been a year since Love, Wrinkle-free released. The response was far far better than I expected and am glad that the first movie is done and over with:) Love, Wrinke-free DVD is available on flipkart and other online stores, and you can also download/stream the movie from iTunes, Amazon and other major platforms.

2: Tell us about Hola Venky!, what's the film about?

SM: It is the story of a middle-aged Indian techie and his long journey from his groin to his heart! It is too early to talk in detail, so maybe, when we are done with the edit, we can talk more:)

3: Can you tell us about the cast and crew of HV?

SM: The film stars Roger Narayan and Sonia Balcazar. Most of the other actors who appear in the film are non-professional actors, but I had fun working with them. The film has been shot with a 3 member crew - me, the Sound Recordist and the Cameraperson. Also my friend and co-Producer Giju was there too to help out. The film is an experiment, and even the process of making it turned out to be one...we had lotsa fun doing it...

4: How was the experience of shooting with such low budget?

SM: It was tough working with just a 3 people crew, with no permissions, with no or minimal light. But then I knew what I was getting into...if it was easy, everyone would be doing it right...but then I was adamant on making a 10 lakh movie...so I went ahead without losing focus and did it...But we kept it fun despite the long hours and I hope we will be able to create something unique and interesting.

5: No permits sometimes mean some problem. I guess, you guys ran into few. Is there some experience you would like to share?

SM: Frankly, I am getting used to No Permission shoots:) Yeah, you end up in lotsa trouble...you are always looking over your shoulder when you are doing such a shoot...on top of it, I was in a different country… shooting in the US...if they had caught me, I would have been either inside the jail or maybe bundled back in the next flight and air dropped back in India :) But all went okay...with some minor issues here and there... no complaints... it is all cool... I like the adventure... life is short, gotta take a few risks, especially when you have no budget to fool around with...Plus I ended up making a lot of new friends during the movie, many of them acted in the movie and gave their homes for us to shoot in...friends for life...

6: When are we going to see HV on big screen?

SM: Me and Shreyas, my Editor are still working on the Edit and we should be ready by mid or end of October I feel. Hola Venky! has been shot with a budget of 10 lakh and I wanted to treat the whole process as an experiment to see whether I can work out a model where I can tell unique, interesting stories and still get an audience to pay and watch it, either on the big screen or on the internet or maybe both...let's see how it goes, and I am very excited about the film and the process...We have some interesting people backing us who might come in as co-producers and I am looking forward to everything...

Team TRM wishes cast and crew of HV best wishes.

Uttkrishtt 2013 | Editor's Pen

Hi Friends,

Welcome to Uttkrishtt - 2013, our pursuit of 10 most celebrated comedies of Hindi Cinema.

Comedies survive on double edged sword. Its tricky to make people laugh. There is no universal formula. There is no way to find if a joke is fresh or stale. Some stale jokes work. Some fresh ones fail to make an impression. Most importantly, jokes can't make film.

Many comedies earn public affection instantly and some earn it after ages. We have a Bombay To Goa and Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro - one was instant hit while other attained cult status over time. This poll is our tribute to all those actors, scriptwriters and directors who made wonderful comedies and helped us breathe in an otherwise difficult and congested world.

Please vote.

Thanks
Sujoy

Greatest Hindi Comedies - Uttkrishtt 2013