Producer: Smita Thackeray
Director : David Dhawan
*ing: Govinda, Sanjay Dutt, Karisma Kapoor, Pooja Batra, Aruna Irani, Kader Khan, Satish Kaushik, Paresh Rawal, Anupam Kher
Music: Anu Malik

Released on : June 25, 1999

Reviewed by: Sunder
sunder@indolink.com

out of 

Haseena Maan Jaayegi does end as Haseena Maan Gayee (that happens midway itself), but wonder if the movie will end up with Audience Maan Gayee. Perhaps it just might, though it is only a compilation of classic comic situations that have been seen in many movies over the decades. With no pretentions of being anything more than a light entertainer, I still wonder if Haseena Maan Jayegi has ended up being a little too light in content (light enough to be close to empty).

The title itself is a bit of a misnomer, as the haseenas in the movie, Pooja Batra and Karisma Kapoor don't take too long to say yes. And more so, the movie focuses on so many other things, that but for a song or two and three scenes or four - getting the haseenas to agree is just not the focus of the movie. But then, why look for the focus of the movie if a focus was never intended!

About the movie, Sanjay Dutt and Govinda play Sonu and Monu, spoilt brats of rich dad Kader Khan (Ameerchand) who sports a PA in Satish Kaushik (Kunj Bihari) to attend to his phone calls. The movie opens with the twosome trying to make some money out of dads pocket with threat calls. Dad decides that twosome is too much to handle, and sends Sanjay Dutt to Goa to extract some accounts receivables, while keeping Govinda at office in Mumbai. Sanjay Dutt goofs as he must and gets money out of the wrong people, and at the wrong time. In doing so, he also messes with the marriage talks of Pooja Batra (Pooja), daughter of Anupam Kher (Gulzarilal). The household here also includes Aruna Irani as Anupam Kher's long unmarried sister and Paresh Rawal as Gurkha Bhootnath, a suspecting person inspired by detective novels. Soon enough (in the first half itself) Sanjay and Pooja clash, Sanjay proposes in a matter of a song, Pooja accepts. So much for one half of the title.

Another Haseena to moot, Govinda meanwhile has met his match in college going teenybopper Karisma (Ritu). With the help of Satish Kaushik (or rather at his expense), comic capers follow and some songs too. This haseena isn't so easy anyway, and the scene shifts to Goa as Govinda dons the role of bearded uncle (RaiSaab) to endorse Sanjay Dutt's marriage with Pooja. Not surprisingly, Karisma is the younger sister of Pooja and lands up there too. And have we seen this before, Aruna Irani falls for the older Govinda and Govinda in his true younger self goes for the Karisma. Other characters add color to the movie. Ashish Vidyarthi with a sidekick chips in as a true money extorting Bhai who Kader Khan dismisses as a prank by his sons, until the Bhai decides to dismiss him. This makes up for the climax fight too, though David Dhawan over years has learnt not to mess his comedy movies with action. So we have the goons bashed up in a light and entertaining climax.

Of the cast, Govinda is as always brilliant in these roles. He shares a great rapport with Karisma in the song dance sequences. The other pair isn't quite the same - though the cameraman tries his best with acute angles and steadycam shots to make up for their lesser dancing skills. But technically, the films is quite as brilliant as many recent movies. Perhaps, no attempt is made in that direction either. The humor really catches on as the movie progresses. The second half is a lot better paced and has a lot more laughable moments. The supporting cast is professional as one would expect. Though Anupam Kher seems to ham early on, he does feature in some good scenes later on. His sense of timing along with those of Govinda and Karisma makes for a wonderful lip-synching scene. However, the heroines have little in the movie, with Karisma having the better of the few scenes that are. Govinda takes most of the scenes, and Sanjay Dutt complements him well and they combine very well. Kader Khan and Satish Kaushik also share a good sense of timing so important for comedy. But the best comes from Paresh Rawal. The few scenes of Paresh Rawal do entertain the most.

Haseena Maan Jayegi is a good laugh and good reason to enjoy three hours of nonsense. There may be little novelty in what the movie is about. But some of the PJs are new, the timing of and in comedy perfect, and performances professional. Perhaps, its wrong to expect more from such a movie.