The Ugly Truth!

Buddha Mar Gaya

Cast: Anupam Kher, Paresh Rawal, Om Puri, Ranvir Shorey, Rakhi Sawant, Mukesh Tiwari and host of stars. And yes Prem Chopra in a cameo as another
Buddha.

Producer/ Director: Rahul Rawail

Music: Bappi Lahiri

Rate: *



Rahul Rawail is the same director who made films like Arjun and Betaab that once upon a time made stars like Aishwarya Rai, Bobby and Sunny Deol. Buddha Mar Gaya happens to be a venture from the very same director and it's a pity where he stands today. He has not had a hit from the last several efforts and this one does not promise to change his luck for any better.

Buddha Mar Gaya is a black comedy which tries to portray what people could do for money – which includes selling oneself or his or her own father. A slapstick, Buddha Mar Gaya is about LK and what his family does to his dead body in order to keep their money safe with them.

LK or Laxmikant Kapadia played by Anupam Kher is one the richest people in India, who has made his way up to his stature from being just a scrap seller. He has launched an IPO and on the party night to celebrate this venture he dies while trying to get naughty in bed with Kim (Rakhi Sawant), who is a struggler willing to compromise on anything to become 'world famous in India'. When the family comes to know that LK is dead they decide to keep it a secret till all the shares on offer at the IPO is sold out as the death could send the whole empire tumbling. The only person outside the family who knows about the death is obviously Kim who is made to believe that she is a Vishkanya by Vidyut baba (Om Puri), who is the one person who the whole family seems to listen to. Kim therefore does not tell anyone about the death as that would mean she is the killer.

Amidst loads of confusion, a story about each member of the family is told smartly. While the two sons are good for nothing they have two wives who compliment them in everyway. While one enjoys with his wife, who he picked up from a beer bar, the other hardly speaks to his wife as he is always shown talking to his love interest over the phone and promises not to give anything to his wife and son from his property. But the chaos increases as you find out that Vidyut Baba is actually sleeping with LK's sister and elder son simultaneously, hence pointing that the elder son Sameer (Mukesh Tiwari) is actually gay. So how does he have a son? This is answered when Sameer's wife admits that the son is LK's hence making Sameer a brother to his son.

After the initial confusion in the family when they finally decides that they would announce the death, enters Murli Sharma who is an agent from the government. And now orders that the declarations need to be stalled for a few more days till the government money is safely taken out of LK’s account. Such incidents lead them to first declare that LK's best friend and then his cousin brother are dead. In comes Ranvir Shorey who sells his own father's dead body and later his uncle's to the Kapadias, so that they can cremate it as their uncle and father's best friend.

Rakhi Sawant returns every now and then with her own struggle at different places. But unfortunately whoever she sleeps with dies, leading her to reinstate her belief that she is indeed a Vishkanya.

The movie is a complete jumble till the end when the Kapadia family is arrested. Talking about the technical aspects the editing is not stylish but for slapsticks you don't need much style. The story hardly takes your fancy nor does the screenplay. There are instances which were brought in merely to create more laughter rather than to carry the story forward. There also scenes ripped from funny ads and old films making the film novelty factor. The dialogues are trying quite hard to make you laugh. But that too goes overboard at times and becomes boring rather than making you smile. The music – both the background and playback hardly impress. In fact, the only song in the movie sounds more like an advertisement for the film and the music is nowhere near pleasant.

Actingwise there is hardly anything substantial to do for each character. Anupam Kher does a good job of maintaining the same look throughout the movie and hence a good dead man. Paresh Rawal is wasted in his role. Om Puri does make you laugh once in a while. Prem Chopra being a veteran is wasted doing such a cameo. Rakhi Sawant is inconsistent - good at times and bad at others.

Overall, the audience would like more intelligent comedies. Especially, when people have other options to opt for. Director Rahul Rawail might sit and wail as one more his venture goes down the drain. Next please… yawn!