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By Taran
Adarsh, April 13, 2007 - 12:57 IST
 Gen X film-makers are brimming with ideas. Stories
that were considered abstract, experimental and out of
the box are finding an audience and most importantly,
an outlet [multiplexes]. BHEJA FRY is one such film.
Ideally, the plotline of BHEJA FRY is best suited for
a stage play [theatre], but director Sagar Ballary
makes an attempt to garnish it with interesting twists
to suit the 35 mm format. Only thing, a concept like
BHEJA FRY, even though it packs in ample laughs in 12
reels, is strictly for the multiplex junta. Again, not
all multiplexes, but select ones. With a title like
BHEJA FRY, you expect a wacky fare and it does meet
your expectations at times. The incidents take place
in one night and unlike IS RAAT KI SUBAH NAHIN
[different genre, but incidents unfold in one night],
BHEJA FRY stresses on humor.
Whether it's the rift between a married couple [Rajat
Kapoor, Sarika] or the other people involved in their
lives [Milind Soman, Bhairavi Goswami] or a man
finding out that his wife is cheating on him [Ranveer
Shorey], Ballary injects humor in every situation.
Serious moments? Don't look for it in BHEJA FRY.
In a nutshell, BHEJA FRY is a time pass fare that
doesn't tax your bheja. It has its limitations since
it caters to a select audience, but the film dares to
push the envelope further.
Ranjeet Thadani [Rajat Kapoor], a music company
executive, hurts his back the night he has found a
prize catch for a weekly bring-your-idiot talent
dinner hosted by his friends and him. He ends up
spending the evening with this idiot, Bharat Bhushan [Vinay
Pathak], who tries to help him get his wife [Sarika]
back, who left him earlier that day. The result is
utter chaos let loose by the idiot, who cannot do a
single thing without messing it up further.
 The plot turns around to be a series of mini disasters
that leave Ranjeet's comfortable life in ruins.
It's difficult to make people laugh and director Sagar
Ballary walks a difficult path in his directorial
debut. But what bails him out are a fairly interesting
screenplay [Sagar Ballary, Arpita Chatterjee] and most
importantly, an actor who gets it right in every scene
-- Vinay Pathak.
There are times when you truly enjoy the jokes, but
there're also times when you refuse to flex your
facial muscles since the humor appears forced. The
best moments are those when Vinay calls up various
people [Milind, Bhairavi, Ranveer, Sarika], but ends
up messing things. From the writing point of view, the
track between the couple [Rajat, Sarika] is the
weakest since on one hand they seem like a perfectly
normal couple [the husband gifts his wife a swanky
car] and minutes later, the wife walks out of the
house. Kya hua? Pata nahin!
The film relies on humorous lines and one-liners and
the dialogues are enjoyable at most times. There's no
scope for music in the film, but the lone track is
strictly okay.
 Vinay Pathak is the star of the show. He looks every
inch a simpleton who's ready to become the bakra. He
says everything with a straight face, that's one of
the reasons why this performance works. His timing is
simply fantastic.
Rajat Kapoor is alright. Sarika doesn't get much
scope. Milind Soman enacts his part well. Ranveer
Shorey goes over the top this time. Bhairavi Goswami
exudes oomph, but needs to work on her facial
expressions. Tom Alter, Harsh Chhaya and Ikhlaque Khan
get limited scope.
On the whole, BHEJA FRY has its enjoyable moments, but
it's the type of cinema that would appeal to the
multiplex junta of a few cities only. An effort like
this will find more patronage on DVDs/Satellite TV
than the ticket window.
Rating:- * * [critique].
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