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June 25, 1999

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Light 'n' easy
Govinda and Karisma When you know the film you are going to see stars Govinda and is directed by David Dhawan, you know you are most likely in for a long series of chuckles followed by one long hoot. That is the kind of light, unpretentious and downmarket product you expect from them. And, in that sense, Haseena Maan Jaayegi doesn't disappoint you.

And you also know that, like its forbears, this film too won't have much of a story, neither will it make much sense. But considers it only aims at entertainment, hey, well, who cares.

Haseena Maan Jaayegi bears a passing resemblance to an old Shammi Kapoor film, called Professor, where the protagonist played both a young man and an old man. Govinda as Monu does the same thing here. Sanjay Dutt plays Sonu, his elder brother.

Sonu and Monu have one aim in life -- to draw money from their rich but miserly father (Kader Khan). The father finally gets so exasperated by their tricks, that he decides to separate them. He sends one to Goa and keeps the other at home.

Sanjay Dutt and Pooja Batra Meanwhile, both boys (if you can call them that) fall for Pooja (Pooja Batra) and Ritu (Karisma Kapoor), the daughters of a rich man (Anupam Kher). The girls also have an unmarried aunt (Aruna Irani).

Monu plays his father to assure Kher of their honourable intentions; they apparently don't think their real father can provide it. And the spinster aunt falls for the older Monu.

There's no proper storyline here, just scenes that are ends by themselves loosely strung together. There are seven songs that pop up at the oddest intervals. With lyrics like Jaane de jaane de, thodi hawa aane de, or What is your mobile number, what is your style number, they have clearly no ambition to compete with Wolfgang Amadeus.

Govinda overshadows everybody else with his excellent sense of timing and neat use of expression. He is particularly funny in the scene where he is getting engaged to Aruna Irani. He looks around like a rabbit heading for the chop and looks beseechingly at his elder brother. It's corny, yes, but who said it's real?

Sanjay as the elder brother is the macho number, which saves him much trouble. It also complements Govinda's character. But he has tried his best in a comedy, which isn't quite his cuppa char.

Karisma looks pretty as the teenybopper and provides a good foil for Govinda. As a result, Pooja is left out in the cold in a role that doesn't amount to much. Time the lady did something about that make-up. She looks gawky and awkward and she does tend to screech a bit.

Aruna Irani, Kader Khan and Anupam Kher are good, as usual.

Haseena Maan Jaayegi can safely be called good comedy, without any pretensions to art. And if entertainment is all you want, you could do worse than head for the cinema hall.

 

Click here for the video promo
Click here for the song Haseena Maan Jaayegi
Click here for the song Panga na le
Click here for the song I love you bol dal
Click here for the song What is your mobile number?

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