Trailer Talk: HAPPY BHAG JAYEGI (2016) – Punjab Meets Pakistan Without Offensive Punchlines
Bollywood comedies are rarely good. They either focus on low brow sexual gaffs or offensively mysoginistic and racist plot lines. Sometimes all of those things. So it’s refreshing as hell when a Bollywood comedy features a fun and enjoyable storyline that isn’t slapstick but looks genuinely funny.
Check out the Trailer for ‘Happy Bhaag Jayegi and read on for why it looks hilarious.
The premise is in the title of the movie ‘Happy Bhag Jayegi’. (Happy Will Run Away) As Jimmy Shergil’s character, a local politician India, prepares for his wedding, his blushing bride to be runs away. During her escape, she ends up crossing borders into Pakistan and into the house of Abhay Deol’s character, who then has to take it upon himself to return her back to India. What follows is a series of misunderstandings, kidnappings and over all chaos; all staples of the comedy genre.
The writer & director, Mudassar Aziz’s only real film credit is the 2010 ‘Dulha Mil Gaya’. Another wedding film comedy with charm and style. ‘Happy Bhag Jayegi’ is being marketed as being from the same team behind ‘Tanu Weds Manu’ (My Review here) and its subsequent sequel, banking on the likeability of the similar wedding theme to carry over to this film as well.
A somewhat charming comedy that falls flat when it tries to become an emotionally dramatic love story.
—‘Tanu Weds Manu’ Review
What really stands out in ‘Happy Bhag Jayegi’ is the cast and performances. While the story feels very similar to that of the 1999 Julia Roberts starrer ‘Runaway Bride’, it’s the cast that appeals to me. The title character is being played by Diana Penty.
Penty broke out into Bollywood with her role of the demure and shy one third of the love triangle featured in ‘Cocktail’. (My infuriating Review here.) This time around though, she’s playing a character completely the opposite of that role. If Penty is ‘back’ in Bollywood, this role seems like a smart choice to display her range of talent, as she swears and threatens her way from India to Pakistan in the trailer.
Jimmy Shergill is also in this, continuing his trademark patented role of the jilted lover. Shergill has somewhat made a career playing this role in every single movie he’s ever been in. Almost. While he seems less despicable here than other films, he’s still a fan favourite, despite being typecast repeatedly.
The inclusion of Abhay Deol is the most interesting, as the man only does movies that have something to offer other than the conventional formulas that Bollywood is obsessed with. Good or bad, Deol’s films always have something new to offer, and here’s hoping that ‘Happy Bhag Jayegi’ is no different.
The movie itself seems like a fun family friendly affair, and despite having the usual Pakistan/India culture clash comedy, the movie doesn’t seem to be resorting to the usual terrorist, religion and nationalistic conflicts to use as the punchline of jokes. Although the whole wedding theme with three leading men (Ali Faizal is also in this) is a weird trope that Bollywood seems to be falling upon. First ‘Dolly Ki Doli’ and now this.
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