Starting from the fully incongruous title, Phas Gaye Re Obama is an absolutely insane film. It’s got an original, relevant premise, it’s brilliantly written in colloquial rustic dialogue, it’s cheaply but smartly directed, the humour is corny and side splitting and it’s got a top-notch ensemble cast.
At its heart Phas Gaye Re Obama deals with a real, contemporary premise, the worldwide recession, which the film then proceeds to deflate in delightful ways. Om Shastri (Rajat Kapoor) is an NRI living in America who has been busted by the recession, even as Obama is being elected President.
So, he decides to come to India to sell his ancestral haveli. However, the haveli is full of relatives, plus there is no buyer, so he gets stuck.
Meanwhile, the recession has also hit a lowly gang of kidnappers, headed by Bhaisahib (Sanjay Mishra) and his assistant Anni (Manu Rishi). While Mishra rues the present times, when they don’t even have money for bullets or a mobile phone, the smart Rishi is learning English on the side, hell bent on going to America.
Then they get to know of NRI Kapoor. They kidnap him, only to discover he is broke. A more powerful kidnapper, Ali bhai, gets to know. So the wily and desperate Kapoor suggests they trade him off. His condition is that half the money has to go to his wife in USA.
So Mishra hands over Kapoor to Ali bhai, who pays 30 lakh in cash, but keeps Rishi back since he’s the only goon who can speak English. Soon, he too gets to know that Kapoor is a dud, and in steps a more senior kidnapper, Munni madam (Neha Dhupia) a female don who hates men.
Kapoor again suggests the same idea, so Ali smoothly trades the duo off to Munni madam for 60 lakh rupees, half going to the wife, and so it goes till word gets to the top kidnapping kingpin in the area, the animal welfare minister, Amol Gupte. Now he wants a part of this NRI pie too, which leads to further chaos & confusion.
Though the film is patchy in bits, the madness sustains. Barring the actress playing Rajat’s wife, the acting is consistently good. Mishra is just outstanding and achingly funny, while the talented Rishi is an able foil. Kapoor is his usual suave self.
Gupte is hilarious as the minister with piles, while the spunky Neha puts in her best, though she seems miscast. Phas Gaye Re Obama is an adult, mature film that is smart, funny and well written.
At its heart Phas Gaye Re Obama deals with a real, contemporary premise, the worldwide recession, which the film then proceeds to deflate in delightful ways. Om Shastri (Rajat Kapoor) is an NRI living in America who has been busted by the recession, even as Obama is being elected President.
So, he decides to come to India to sell his ancestral haveli. However, the haveli is full of relatives, plus there is no buyer, so he gets stuck.
Meanwhile, the recession has also hit a lowly gang of kidnappers, headed by Bhaisahib (Sanjay Mishra) and his assistant Anni (Manu Rishi). While Mishra rues the present times, when they don’t even have money for bullets or a mobile phone, the smart Rishi is learning English on the side, hell bent on going to America.
Then they get to know of NRI Kapoor. They kidnap him, only to discover he is broke. A more powerful kidnapper, Ali bhai, gets to know. So the wily and desperate Kapoor suggests they trade him off. His condition is that half the money has to go to his wife in USA.
So Mishra hands over Kapoor to Ali bhai, who pays 30 lakh in cash, but keeps Rishi back since he’s the only goon who can speak English. Soon, he too gets to know that Kapoor is a dud, and in steps a more senior kidnapper, Munni madam (Neha Dhupia) a female don who hates men.
Kapoor again suggests the same idea, so Ali smoothly trades the duo off to Munni madam for 60 lakh rupees, half going to the wife, and so it goes till word gets to the top kidnapping kingpin in the area, the animal welfare minister, Amol Gupte. Now he wants a part of this NRI pie too, which leads to further chaos & confusion.
Though the film is patchy in bits, the madness sustains. Barring the actress playing Rajat’s wife, the acting is consistently good. Mishra is just outstanding and achingly funny, while the talented Rishi is an able foil. Kapoor is his usual suave self.
Gupte is hilarious as the minister with piles, while the spunky Neha puts in her best, though she seems miscast. Phas Gaye Re Obama is an adult, mature film that is smart, funny and well written.
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