Saare Jahaan Se Mehnga Review

After making the ` Obama' feel the heat of the recession beat by their critically acclaimed `Phas Gaye Re Obama' the producers of `Phas Gaye Re Obama' Ashok Pandey's Revel Films return with a `dhoti' budget `Saare Jahaan Se Mehnga' to unbutton the `pantaloon' of the prevailing price systems of Hindustan. Hilarious.

You can call them nuts in the way the characters tame the price monster in the film.. this couldn,t be the solution to curb the prevailing price system in our country.. but mind you this nuts under the helming of first timer Anshul Sharma do a rare witty and funny stunt on screen for us which dares to care for the `aam aadmi' in this witty, funny, satirical cinematic affair.

The Story

The writers Rupesh Thapliyal and Vijay Manral tempts you to a funny and satirical ride along the streets of North Indian middle class family crushed under the burden of Mehngai in Sonepat, Haryana where Puttan (Sanjay Mishra) and other three members of his family - father Nagpal (Vishwa Mohan Badola), his wife Noori (Pragati Pandey) and younger brother Gopal (Ranjan Chhabra).

Terribly disturbed by the growing inflation now and then marred by his incapability to earn more plus repeated failures of his brother Gopal in academics, Puttan sees a silver lining in a scheme to deal with inflationary pressure, but things take a funny satirical roller costar ride when situations go out of hand making the viewers laugh at the proceedings and while doing so the writers make sure that they don,t forget to wink at the issue to make them think and by the end successfully making the audience root for this crazy people in front and behind the screen for this smiling teary reality pinch. Well done.

What to look out for

First timer Anshul Sharma sticks to basics.. while he takes his time in studiously establishing the scenario for the dash of witty fun later the debutant deserves praise for successfully entering the league of Habib Faisal (Do Dooni Char), Dibakar Banerjee ) Khosla Ka Ghosla), Anusha Rizvi(Peepli Live) to respect the `real' grief and sentiments of the `aam aadmi' though in escapist mood.

The eye for details is evident in the settings and art work by Gautam Sen. The lines are direct simple serving the desired purpose..

On the acting front Sanjay Mishra is marvelous. Pragati Pandey is fine. Vishwa Mohan Badola is strictly okay. Zakir Hussain is terrific. Ranjan Chhabra is raw. Other technicalities are fine.

What not

The movie fails to stop the television feel on big screen.. and doesn,t care for a contrast in its tale.. does makes a statement but ignores the much needed argument.

Conclusion: without any `argument' Saare Jahaan Se Mehnga' is a satirical funny statement on price. Those who strive for `values' in cinema `Saare Jahaan Se Mehnga' is worth its ticket price..

Rating ***