Atithi Tum Kab Jaoge? Movie Review

 What is it all about?

He sings and dances to the bhajan of Maa in "Bidi jaleile" tune, while he asks his chachaji to leave his modern society and city in a K.L. Saigal way. That's 'ATKJ' for you. This Warner Bros Pictures major Bollywood summer offering should stuff its stockings in this exam month in Indian schools with a popular chocolate ad jargon 'Pappu pass ho gaya'. Sappy in places with identified emotions and the Indian spirituality factor from the saying 'Atithi Devo Bhava' (Guests are the avatar of god) twined in this modern recall of Hrishida and Basu da the 'papas' of simple story tellers who always told stories reflecting the times and Indian values in the most touching and simple manner like in 'Khatta Meetha', 'Barwarchi', 'Golmaal', 'Choti Si Baat' etc.

This Paresh Rawal lead and Ashwini Dhir (One Two Three) helmed 'guesty' vehicle provides the comic a slick surface for a decent family outing in the story that posses quality family appeal. 

The story......of course

Inspired from the noted Indian Hindi poet, writer, satirist late Sharad Joshi's article 'Tum Kab Jaoge Atithi', writer director Ashwini Dhir along with her partners in screen writing Tushar Hiranandani and Robin Bhatt tell a story where Puneet (Ajay Devgan) and Munmun (Konkona Sen), a married couple living in Mumbai. Their lives take an interesting turn when a distant relative, Chachaji (Paresh Rawal), turns up unannounced at their doorstep from a far-off village. The guest overstays his welcome, so much so that the exasperated couple comes up with various ploys to hasten his departure.

What to look out for?  

Writer director Ashwini Dhir smartly brings together many of the same selling points in Bollywood cinema but mixes it with comic strokes with some good messages about the magical power of a guest in Indian beliefs and the power of a family.

Paresh Rawal gets the opportunity to display his amusing wit with so much ease and comfort, he farts in the film, gives his daily menu for lunch and dinner, forces the owners of the house Ajay and Konkana to sacrifice even the normal comfort of an air conditioner as he conquers their bedroom and at the same time gives gyan to them and their child on Indian values and tradition to the modern Indian family.

Ajay Devgan is commendable and Konkana is spot on in the movie which rides primarily on its emotional inputs and later on the spiritual angle where Aswini manages to capture the Indian heart by twining the popular Ganesh Chaturtthi festival with the guest coming thingie that gives the movie its much needed lift.

The entire mahurat shot where Paresh irritates Viju Khote and Ajay's reaction after Satish Kaushik's outburst is a highlight along with the child taking gyan from Paresh and doing parikrama of the parents is another touching moment. 

The climax is smartly done.

What Not?

Paresh Rawal's too much of farting and a lazy start. The movie starts getting lost in those unwanted episodes like the police raid on the cheap hotel.

Recommended: Yes, with wanted or unwanted guest, ATKJ is a modern Hrishida and Basu da recall carries those popular Bollywood elements and with the spirituality angle thrown in for desired effect.

Rating ***