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One has no way of knowing whether Anup Sengupta and his writer Manjil Banerjee were inspired by this 1970s Bollywood hit. But apart from the fact that Mama Bhagne is also a hit, the two films have precious little in common. Raja (Prosenjit), the only son of a reasonably affluent family in a small town, does precious little other than failing five times in his higher secondary board exams. But he has no compunctions about picking his father’s pocket to treat the whole town to sweets to celebrate his clearing the exams which, of course, is a lie. He is backed in all his conning tricks by his big-hearted mama (Ranjit Mullick) who is ever eager to marry the first girl he meets but no one will have him, thanks to his good-for-nothing status quo.
The song-dance numbers are mostly dream scenes shot against the backdrop of fictitious waterfalls and mysterious waves. There is one particular item number where a whole crowd of white-legged memsahib beauties cavort around the mama-bhagne pair. But this hardly adds to the film’s USP the way the director expected it to. Another camp-fire dance performed by the director’s fat wife Piya Sengupta spilling out of her red ghagra-choli is partly seductive and partly grotesque. The background songs are better synchronized in setting the mood of a given situation. Shubhayu’s musical score is okay while Gautam Susmit and Priyo Chatterjee’s lyrics are just so.
To get out of a stick-wielding father, the mama and his bhagne coax Raja’s mother to part with money enough to buy fake certificates and land in Kolkata in search of a job. But the cat is out of the bag and Raja is thrown out. He then hitches on to a millionaire’s daughter and woos her enough for her father to agree to marry his daughter (Ananya Chatterjee) to the young man. But no sooner is the marriage over than Raja realizes that his bride is not the millionaire’s daughter but is actually his daughter’s friend and the daughter of the industrialist’s gardener (Biswajit Chakraborty). A sizzled Raja walks out of an elaborate party when he is insulted by his former employer and spills the beans on why he married this girl and why he is leaving her. Suffice to say that when he is thrown out of his ancestral home by his parents and one stinging slap by his mother, Raja sees sense and lives up to the ‘social message’ of there being no short cut to hard and honest labour. After some horsing around by a distant nephew (Shankar Chakraborty) of the bride’s gardener father who is now a rich industrialist by virtue of a bumper lottery prize, the bride comes back and everything ends happily ever after. There is a hit-and-chase scene (or is it the other way round?) when Raja ties his infant baby around his ample waist to fight the goons who are out to grab the baby. This reminds one of some of the climactic scenes in Raja Hindustani.
Get FREE Weekday Delivery on Hugs and Kisses flower bouquet, only $49.99Fireplace Accessories at InTheSwim.com!For some strange reason, Prosenjit has this idea that a fringe-like reddish wig will make him look credible as a young, small town simpleton. Wrong. He looks terrible because the fringe hides half of his upper face leaving his dropping jaw as visible proof of his age. When the dream scenes begin, abracadabra, his real hair, with the right dye, comes back and he looks his smashing handsome self, a bit more intelligent-looking than his earlier alter-ego. Raja is right up Poshenjit (rural audiences call him this)’s street and he takes it smoothly in his stride. Ranjit Mullick matches him perfectly as the would-be-wife-chasing mama who finally manages to bag a woman police constable for company for the group photograph. Ananya Chatterjee as Raja’s girlfriend and wife surprises us for a smooth and spontaneous performance in a character with several shades ranging from the sophisticated but credible girl in love to the serious, no-nonsense wife who spurns her husband’s attempts to mend fences and take her back unless he changes his ways and turns an honest leaf.
Mama-Bhagne is not a patch on Chacha Bhatija or on Hungama or Raja Hindustani that might have ‘motivated’ the director. The comic element is totally wasted except a few exceptions. It does not merit a rating of more than four on ten. But that does not stop the cash boxes from jingling away merrily.
Whenever Prosenjeet and Ranjit Mullick have come together, they have rocked the Tolly box office. Probably, that was the reason why director Anup Sengupta cast these two in this film,because otherwise one really can’t imagine why ,despite having so many young actors ,one has to cast Prosenjeet as “bhagne” to Ranjit Mullick.
The story revolves around the antics of mama ,who is crazy about women and bhagne,who is crazy about money.Bhagne meets a girl ,Payel(Ananya),whom he assumes to be the daughter of a crorepati.But,after their marriage,he discovers she is the daughter Of crorepati’s gardener (a case of mistaken identity similar to andaz apna apna) and bhagne leaves her.But,then payel’s father,by a stroke of luck wins a lottery of crore, and this brings a twist to the tale as bhagne gradually has change of mind and heart.
Mama Bhagne belongs to Ranjit Mullick and Prosenjeet.Their comic timing remains impressive and that’s the thing that carries the film.The comedy might be way-over-the-top most of the times,yet you are not bored.Ananya chatterjee shows after Dwando, she is big screen material.The high melodrama post interval ,though, may be a bit too heavy to handle for some.The music is unimpressive ,cinematography below par, comic dialogues are peppy but the fizz disappears post interval,direction mediocre.The story may be new at parts,but only just.So,watch this movie if you want to see Prosenjeet and Ranjit mullick together after long time.
Personally,I would recommend “Dujone” over Mama Bhagne ,but,it may use the festival time to make a impact at the box office.
Rating:1.5/5
Review by Shoma A Chatterjee also added.
Its a third class muvie
MAMA BHAGNE IS A THIRDDDDDDDDDD CLASS MOVIE