Well Done Abba!

Background music is missing, but the movie is so beautifully written. Three words describes this movie- Simple, Sober, Beautiful. It will definitely put a smile on your face with a fresh mind when the movie is over. Not stupid stories like modern days but infact a good story.

Shyam Banagal has done a great job in explicit showing the level of corruption existing in the rural government office level. This is what happens in most cases where the government worker takes signature on blank paper and write what ever they want which any how the villager cannot read and write or takes percentages from any money provided by government to rural folks. It's a simple and straight forward movie, songs were irrelevant and not required. Acting by Boman Irani and Manisha Lamba has been very good and shows the real situation and simplicity. The misdeeds happening in the government has been shown as humor when it conveys the message clearly but does not attack any one. Overall an excellent topic and movie.

It's a known scenario how corrupt government officers are these days and common people are the one who suffer the most to get services. They need to bribe the officers at every level; and still their things aren't done> Especially in the rural areas where people are uneducated or are under poverty line, the government officials are exploiting the people to fill their pockets. The scenario has been created of a village where Boman Irani, a poor driver, applies for a government scheme for the grant to dig a well in his field. But in the process he learns he has to bribe every officer to get his government grant just to see his well has been completed only in the government report not in the actual field. However, he gets his right and how he gets has been presented in a jovial mood full of wittiness and surprises. Boman Irani makes a superb performance of a common man tormented by government officials. His lowered head in front of every officer explains the torture of the officers by depriving the common people of their rights. Overall the film presents a satire on government system and reveals how corrupt the officers have become today. Late Jaspal Bhatti used to present such satires through his series, "Flop Show." Only a problem of the film is the length it goes for which could have been trimmed a bit and songs and few situations don't have a nice link to the main plot. However, the film remains commendable for raising a social issue and resolving it in a witty manner which can serve as an eye opener to the concerned. Rating: 2 stars out of 4

Being a fan of Benegal I decided to give this film a chance and wow I was absolutely surprised! The primary thing in the movie is obviously the fantastic performance by none other than Boman! This guy has revived the definition of what really good acting is in this current generation. Joining hands with him is the talented and gorgeous Minisha Lamba who gives a great hand in glove support. Speaking of the rest, everyone has done a really great job of their roles. Oh yes there is a fabulous performance from Ravi Kissen here supported aptly by Sonali Kulkarni. Overall a really good film that deserves to be appreciated and this is really one of those films that irrespective of plot and grandeur casting, still manages to impress you

In a recent interview given to a reporter after movie "Ferrari ki Sawari", a question was asked from Boman that which movie is closest to his heart. Boman modestly answered that all the movies are special but "Well done Abba" has a special place in his heart. Though it's quite old movie, I only watched it in fractions until today when I watched it completely and throughly enjoyed every single moment of it. It's another brilliant performance by the versatile Boman Irani and the other characters in the movie are crafted nicely as well. And the movie does leave a mark on your heart. The well known situation of corruption at every level is portrayed in a light hearted manner and how Abba fights with it is a treat to watch. This reminds me of the movies like "Khosla ka Ghosla" which is a story of another common man and how he faces and overcomes the challenges with the support of family and friends. If you still haven't watched it for some reason, put it towards the top in your Watchlist! ;)

This one is another fine piece of work delivered by Shyam Bengal after Welcome to Sajjanpur. Apart from direction the next credit goes to the casting team for choosing the right actor for leading this project i.e. Boman Irani. You are going to love this light hearted dramedy about the struggle of a lower middle class (barely literate) man to do something good for his family and society. Manisha Lamba surprisingly delivered one of the best acts of her career I would say and the presence of Ravi Kishan as a Sub-Engineer adds the much needed extra flavour to this classic.

One of India's finest filmmakers is back once again with a comedy. Shyam Benegal's previous film, 'Welcome to Sajjanpur' was a delightful little comedy set in a little rural village inhabited by colourful characters. 'Well Done Abba' follows a similar path. It feels like a splendid little folktale on screen. Benegal's screenplay is a lot tighter than it was in 'Welcome To Sajjanpur' which had it's share of drawbacks, like songs appearing out of nowhere (and were completely irrelevant to the story). Here too the characters are quirky, colourful, likable and recognizable. The narrative flows smoothly and the humour works wonderfully. The songs are nice and most of them play in the background. Benegal also captures the Hyderabadi culture very well. The art direction, sets, costumes and even the mannerisms of the actors appear authentic. Boman Irani is excellent as Rehmaan Ali. He delivers a balanced and suitably performance unlike the loud and irritating acting that is evident in his other movies. However, as Armaan Ali, he is less impressive. Ila Arun, Rajit Kapur and Ravi Kishan are fantastic. Sonali Kulkarni is hilarious in a tiny role. Minisha Lamba displays one of her finest piece of acting in her career. Sammir Dattani is passable. Overall, 'Well Done Abba' is a treat to watch. The title works on multiple levels. Well Done, Mr. Benegal.

Shyam Benegal's "Welcome to Sajjanpur" was a perfect balance of his art cinema sensibilities with make suit for contemporary times. His new outing "Well Done Abba" treads the similar path. The most positive aspect of "Well Done Abba" is the screenplay which is very genuine to its heart. The scene construction is extremely authentic. The characters make you wonder if they are indeed real. And the sole credit goes to none other than Shyam Benegal. In terms of performance Rajat Kapoor, Ravi Kishen, Ila Arun, Salim Ghouse and the conniving Boman Irani (Rehmaan Ali) hog the limelight. Special mention is reserved for Rajendra Gupta whose accent, mannerism was genuine to the core (note the plastic smile he wears). And yes Minisha Lamba is a revelation indeed. Samir Dattani was OK (there was something lacking in his performance). Finally Boman Irani in the role of Armaan Ali - he was a complete miscast (Note: Its an opinion, and I am entitled to one). Blame it on the stereo-typing of the roles Boman has done so far or it could be halo effect. It was quite evident that he was putting up appearances. Om Puri was ideal for the role in question. Sonali Kulkarni - what was she thinking when she signed the dotted line? A select few characters speaking in Deccani lingo was OK, but everyone? Not at all a good idea. The songs were not in sync with the plot and appeared copy-paste. Incorporating the the wedding song "Okkati Rendu Moodu" made me feel sorry for Shyam Benegal. The entire narrative in the flashback was not warranted. And the last 30-minutes should have been trimmed. PS: Way back in the glorious days of Doordarshan, I have seen the non- glamorised version of this story in "Ek Kahani".