Khichdi - The Movie - Review:

India's first TV show to Movie is here. After developing a cult status few years back,t he hilarious Khichdi family is back to entertain us all. Does it work?
It has some great doses of laughter and is reminiscent of the show.

Few points to note before buying your tickets:
1. Are you a fan of the show Khichdi - Yes
2. Are you a proud Gujarati or one who loves the race - Yes
3. Do you love mindless, stupid, nonsensical humour - Yes
If all 3 match, go for this one. If you don't know the characters, I wouldn't suggest this comic caper.

The plot(if any) is simple. Himanshu(J.D) wants to get married and finds his love in his neighbour Parminder's sister Parminder. The twist is, he doesn't want the simple happy ending, he wants it filmi style. i.e. with song, dance, fights, separation and climax. His dysfunctional family decides to assist him in making this happen, setting the film up for some Hansa(Supriya Pathak), Praful(Rajeev Mehta) & Babuji(Anang Desai) mayhem.

While the story is hardly ever making sense, the film works in its punches. Time and again there are howlarious sequences that will have you in splits. The scene where a condolence meet becomes a song-affair with Paani puri being served is stupendous. The way the characters have been created is praise-worthy.

Though the film stands at only 2 hrs, it does feel a tad bit stretched. The gags do get monotonous sometimes and one feels it could have been much better. The absence of Vandana Pathak as Jayshree is a big downer as well.

Where the film shines is in its performance. Seasoned veterans of the game, each one of them deliver. Supriya Pathak delivers a knockout performance in her vintage style. Rajeev Mehta and Anand Desai are stellar as well. J.D is great while Aatish Kapadia sneaks in a rib-tickling cameo.

Writer-Director Aatish Kapadia deserves credit. His characterization is so strong that one remembers the cast by their screen names. Though the film is good fun, one feels he could have done way better. The plot could have been much stronger and imaginative.

All in all, Khichdi is for those who fancy the show. Visiting the same family is entertaining, albeit a bit disappointing if you expect too much. With lots more to watch this weekend (read: Robot, Anjaana A), this ones your mid-week family watch.

Rating: 3/5