Do Dooni Char

For it's first attempt at making hindi movies, Disney played it safe and went with the safest name that they could find - Yash Raj Productions. Most of us don't even remember the product - Roadside Romeo. (Yes, it was Disney's first attempt at hindi movies). But then to give credit to Disney, they didn't give up on the Indian market. They waited around for a better script - even if it came from a unknown name like Habib Faisal - and released their second movie with much less fanfare last weekend. And they managed to pull off a casting coup of sorts, by getting Neetu Kapoor to break her hiatus and star with her husband in this movie.
(Though apparently the credit for this coup goes to IIPM's promoter Arindam Chaudhari - the executive producer of this movie)

The result of all their hard work is worthwhile - Do Dooni Char is one of those exceptionally heartwarming movies that anyone will find hard to fault with. It is a picture postcard of a happy Delhi middle class family, without the glamorous sheen our Bollywood usually puts. The house, their clothes, their fights - everything is delightfully genuine. Most of the movie is shot in actual Delhi, and all the actors do a tremendous job in portraying that quintessential Dilliwala. Lest you be concerned, Delhi doesnt overpower the story - it is just a backdrop for the events. And allows for some amusing Dilliwala jokes, maybe.

But there are things that everyone would be able to identify with - the excited planning that went into purchasing anything big for the house, the disagreements, the constant bickering between siblings for no rhyme or reason - and in the end the father having the final say. The Duggals are a delightful take on the Indian middle class. The story is essentially about the Duggal family’s dream of upgrading their scooter into a car – and the struggles they undergo to make that dream come true. And to the writer’s credit, the story does not focus much on the negatives of the situations – they always takes the happy route out. But the actors – Rishi & Neetu Kapoor as well as the kids – are such natural performers, that you are never distracted enough to ponder about alternatives.

Rishi & Neetu Kapoor’s chemistry is still sparkling and it shows. The two kids are very believable too. The supporting characters – the ‘Fufu’ and the neighbours – every one does really great. If I had to summarize the movie, it is like Khosla ka Ghosla, but without the wacky humour and with more sweetness in it. The good thing is that it is still playing this week, although not too many shows. I just wish they had done a little more publicity for it - for it is definitely a must-watch!