Phir Hera Pheri … =)) … =)) … =))

NB: If you have watched “Hera Pheri” (HP), you’ll identify more with
this article than Non-HP viewers.

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Hmm…so sequels aren’t that bad after all!
Phir Hera Pheri (PHP) is a sequel to HP. The main characters remain the same!

The film is about another trap that these 3 fall into: Baburao Ganpatrao Apte (played by Paresh Rawal), Raju (played by Akshay Kumar) and Shyam (played by Sunil Shetty).

Luckily [or unluckily] these 3 had got some moolah for a kind deed, which they never intended to do – the deed was performed in HP. So now they stay in a bungalow (which definitely looks worth more than 50 lakh, the amount it gets sold for… in this movie) instead of Baburao’s ancestral garage-cum-home. The bungalow has a swimming pool – and it needs a mention coz Baburao takes bath by pulling out bucket-by-bucket water from the pool /:) --- innovative scene that surely makes you giggle!

The film opens with an item number by Dia Mirza [she is trying too hard…she should quit for some time : ]. The main plot is about the 3 guys losing their money to Anuradha [played by Bipasha Basu]. She puts forth a chit fund scheme (money doubled in 21 days, minimum amount to be deposited is Rs. 1 crore) to them through Raju. Raju, as usual, with his trait manages to gather Rs. 50 lakhs and gets the other half by selling the bungalow they live in. After 21 days everything is lost, the 3 so-called-rich guys come back to a chawl. And what begins next…is more than a roller-coaster ride. I want to see the movie at least 2 more times to remember which scene follows which B-).

The way the underworld don, the local bhai and villains from the past [the ones in HP] are interwoven is commendable. Hats off to Neeraj Vora (the director) for making such a flick. It is only the writer (Neeraj Vora again) of such a story who could have managed to bring all threads together and justify each of them. The story, the screenplay, the direction and the editing are amazing - again Neeraj Vora is responsible for all these.

This movie is a must watch. No matter how many reviews one ends up reading, one should go and have a gala time watching it!

Now about the performances. The actresses Bipasha Basu (Shyam’s love interest) and Rimi Sen (Raju’s love interest) do not have much to do…. but they play well whatever they have been told to. Bips looks amazing…;;).

Paresh Rawal is absolutely perfect. He is one actor who almost always justifies his character to the T. The way he walks and gets irritated is so consistent – wow…that’s commendable. Sunil Shetty plays what he has been told to do. As it is he was never given that importance in HP…same in PHP.

Now for the stunning performer – of course has to be Akshay Kumar [people who know me wont be surprised :P]. Akki is just improving with every movie. He looks very cool and gets the audience whistles with his entry in “Kitne Armaan” song. Well when I was seeing the movie, some little kiddo kept repeating certain punch lines said by Akki – very impressive for sure. Seems everyone loves him these days :). And yes again Paresh Rawal slaps him in the movie – poor Akki :(.

As for rest of the cast – Rajpal Yadav and Johnny Lever are entertaining too. All the actors have played their characters as expected. Good direction!

So the movie is an out-and-out comedy, a director’s movie to the core. The music is average. Himesh Reshammiya does a decent job. Personal favorites are “Kitne Armaan” and “Jumme raat” - in case you didn’t see this song on MTv, you wouldn’t have enjoyed it much on the big screen – reason being it is the closing song. The way Akki reacts to everyone in the song shows how much his reflexes have improved from where he started.

So…here’s me hoping to see at least one more film having Baburao, Raju and Shyam falling into another trap and not coming out of it :)). The way PHP ends – with Raju hanging half in air from the bridge and the cell in his mouth ringing, it would be interesting to see what happens next, what say?

### 14Jun2006-430PM-CINEMAX(NSK)