The first obvious sign that a film industry is maturing is a growing fetish for good satire. This year, almost three decades after Jaane Bhi Do Yaaron , we’ve had Peepli [ Live] and Tere Bin Laden in succession. Now comes Phas Gaye Re Obama . So, we’re not scared of laughing at our foibles anymore. That’s quite a start for Bollywood.
Phas Gaye... takes the issue of kidnapping in the Hindi heartland and turns that grave law- andorder situation into a hilarious two- hour jaunt.
The backdrop is global recession and the plot involves an NRI, Om Shastri ( Rajat Kapoor), who returns to his village from the US. Badly hit by the meltdown, Om must sell his ancestral haveli to raise money and save his home from financial doom.
What Om isn’t prepared for is the bustling kidnapping industry in and around the village. No sooner does he arrive, a gang of petty criminals abduct him.
The gang itself is recession- hit. With the rich locals unable to shell out as much money as before, their ‘ collections’ have dipped sharply.
So, they plan to make a killing with their NRI ‘ customer’. What they don’t know is the nearbankrupt Om actually has no resources to pay up. Meanwhile, bigger players in the ‘ industry’ want their share of the pie too.
The film creates comedy out of the ironic situation without fuss and without going over the top. There are enough potshots taken at the American way, which is at the heart of global meltdown.
The cast does a fine job in balancing realistic character sketches with the random bursts of genuine humour.
Rating - 3.5 / 5
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