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AAMDANI ATTHANI KHARCHA RUPAIYA (2001)
Producer: G.A. Sheshagiri Rao Music: Himesh Reshammiya Starring: Govinda, Juhi Chawla, Tabu, Chandrachur Singh, Johnny Lever, Vinay Anand, Isha Koppikar, Ketaki Dave, Mink Singh, Shakti Kapoor, Asrani, Ranjith, Shiyji Shinde, Tikku Talsaniya, Raju Srivatsav, Viju Khote, Razzak Khan Running Time: 160 Minutes
CineRating: 4 out of 10
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Like the earlier Hera Pheri [2000]), Aamdani Atthani Kharcha Rupaiya is an atypical Bollywood comedy (based on the hit Telugu film Kshemanga Velli Lambhanga Raandi) that features no sappy boy-meets-girl romances or melodramatic love triangles, but rather a plot that revolves around socio-economic concerns: namely, how middle class families are drowning in a sea of debt because salaries can't keep up with the cost of living, and because husbands won't allow their wives to seek employment. The storyline eventually turns into a raging war of the sexes that may seem like an odd leftover from feminist American comedies of the 70s and 80s, but nevertheless brings up some valid issues that Hindi cinema rarely addresses. Of course, any movie that features Govinda and Johnny Lever isn't about to let the grim realities of everyday life spoil the party for everyone, and, true to its pedigree, Aamdani Atthani Kharcha Rupaiya stumbles along in torpid fashion, alternating between scenes of serious drama and gratingly boorish slapstick.
Meena (Tabu), Vimla (Ketaki Dave), and Anjali (Isha Koppikar) are three neighboring housewives whose irresponsible husbands (Chandrachur Singh, Johnny Lever, Vinay Anand) too often fritter away their meager salaries on pointless distractions. When a new couple moves in next door, the three wives are greatly impressed by the fact that the woman (Juhi Chawla) holds down a job of her own while her significant other (Govinda) is only too happy to share in the housekeeping chores. In many ways, this dynamic duo seems like the perfect couple (and the film labors to present them as such). When the three husbands are fired from their auto mechanic positions, the wives take it upon themselves to support their debt-ridden families by getting jobs of their own. Naturally, the husbands view it as an attack against their manhood, and their growing displeasure with their wives' independence leads to a rift between the two sexes that culminates in both sides drawing up separate battle lines.
Much of Aamdani Atthani Kharcha Rupaiya falls squarely on the side of the women, as the male characters (save for Govinda's husband) are presented as grotesquely dumb and insensitive. Of the three main husbands, only Chandrachur Singh's Ravi comes off as vaguely three dimensional, but even he is greatly overshadowed by Tabu, the only member of the cast who actually manages to humanize her character. Tabu carries the burden of the film's more serious thematic concerns with her usual sublime grace, but her work here is merely a reminder of the much more powerful performance she gave as the lonely and unappreciated wife in the more ambitious Astitva [2000]. Pigeonholed into another obnoxious role, the comedian Johnny Lever spends much of the movie figuratively and literally bashing his equally annoying wife (Ketaki Dave) in distended comical scenes that undermine the movie's more lofty aims. Still, at least Lever and Dave have characters to play. The same can't be said for Vinay Anand (a nephew of Govinda) and Isha Koppikar (Company [2002]), who seem to have been thrown into the movie for no other reason than to fulfill the obligatory Bollywood concept that three couples are better than two.
A stocky but surprisingly nimble dancer, Govinda has been a popular comedy star for several years in India, but is the type of actor for whom the term "acquired taste" was seemingly invented. With the pudgy but friendly appearance of a fading romantic lead and a cartoonish voice (sort of like a cross between Jerry Lewis and Donald Duck) that makes Salman Khan sound like James Earl Jones, Govinda's appeal, like that of Adam Sandler's, undoubtedly lies in his lack of airs or sophistication, and a down-to-earth simplicity that the common man can more readily relate to. Still, Govinda displays an undeniable comedic flair at times, most notably in his character's amusing introduction sequence in which he quickly changes from a sweet country bumpkin into a raging avenger when a conniving cab driver continues to berate him. Despite being billed as the film's star, Govinda is barely a supporting cast member here, but it works to his advantage, as his infrequent appearances make him a welcome respite to the tiresome Johnny Lever. Juhi Chawla's role is actually far more substantial than Govinda's and she all but steals the film as the genial woman who, like her husband, can suddenly fly into moral outrage when confronted with disagreeable behavior.
Those who prefer their Hindi music to be spiced with a dash of uptempo modern-day pop will likely find the soundtrack by Himesh Reshammiya (Humraaz [2002]) to be quite catchy and inspired, with the standout tunes being the battle-of-the-sexes ditty "Tumm Tana Na" (aka "Ta Thaiya Ta Thaiya"), the Govinda/Juhi Chawla dance number "Chori Chori" and the title track, which pretty much sums up the film's concerns with the lines: "That's everybody's tension. Life is long. Short is pension." Picturizations are both colorful and kinetic, but one wishes the director could've shot the rest of the film with a more imaginative style than the static longshots he consistently falls back on.
The Eros DVD sports a generally dull and soft looking picture with a tightly framed 2.35:1 anamorphic presentation. The disc has some very noticeable audio dropouts, most coming during the song "Tumm Tana Na."
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DVD Specs:
EROS DVD
All Regions
Removable English Subs (songs included)
Brief Trailers for Filhaal; Maa Tujhe Salaam; Pyar Diwana Hota Main; Khulam Khula Pyar Karenge; ABCD; Koi Mere Dil Se Pooche
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