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By Praveen Lance Fernandes, June 23, 2007 - 11:16 IST
“Tujhya Nanachi Taang” – that’s what you get time and again from Amol Palekar.
If you recall watching Manish Jha’s recent film Matrabhoomi where there was a scarcity of women, then we welcome you to Malavali, where an educated engineer Sharad Mazgaonkar (Amol Palekar) seems to be the only eligible bachelor. He goes to Malavali after his brother Shriram Lagoo gets him a job there.
On reaching there he realizes that his company’s PRO officer P.L Rodrigues (who initially treats him like God’s gift to dirtkind) is very sweet on him when he comes to know that he is single.
The coy, soft-spoken Sharad is in for an unpleasant surprise when his General Manager (Pinchoo Kapoor) invites him over to his house for lunch. There he learns that his boss’ real intention was to introduce him to his daughter; the over-weight Preeti Ganguly.
The fun part begins when Sharad learns of everyone’s hidden agenda. An amusing song sequence comes to life when the PRO’s three beautiful daughters come to visit him. The poor Sharad doesn’t know what to do.
His colleague Ashok Saraf comes up with a devious plan. Spread rumors that he is a drunk and womanizer and all the women and ‘damaad’ hunters will take a hike on their own. That is exactly what he does.
But what happens when Sharad’s lady love (Ranjeeta) comes to know of his rumored philandering ways? Follows a cliché and predictable ending though there is a minor twist towards the end.
The problem with Damaad is that the entire film keeps changing focus right from the time Sharad gets a job, to the time his employers is after him to marry his daughter, to his romancing Ranjeeta. It would have been ideal if the film would have been situational rather than putting in quite a few co-incidences.
The music by Hemant Bhosle isn’t something which will stay in your head a long time either. The dialogues including double meaning ones sometimes make you laugh but fall flat as well. The script and editing definitely should have been crisper. Direction by Rajat Rakshit is fine but one wonders why he makes the ladies (Sharad’s sister-in-law, Ranjeeta and Preeti Ganguly) show their cleavage unnecessarily. The film can be bracketed in the league of Amol Palekar’s parallel entertaining cinema like Golmaal, Baaton Baaton Mein and Choti Si Baat but a few points down.
The film definitely has fun moments and it is the performances which keeps it going. Amol Palekar underplays his character (which he followed up with many films of that era – the late 70s and the early 80s) and entertains in his trademark style without going over the top.
Ranjeeta in a smaller role is beautiful and enacts her part well. Shriram Lagoo was in form as the dominating Maharashtrian elder brother though he isn’t seen much after the initial reels. Ashok Saraf is amazing in his role as the ‘You can take me in confidence’ office colleague. Keshto Mukherjee whose entire career consisted of playing the drunk continues his intoxicating ways on this one as well. Though not much of a role, he does take the proceedings ahead in a few scenes. Jagdeep as a madman is in as a filler for some light moments. Dina Pathak as Priti Ganguly’s mother doesn’t have much to do.
If you are a fan of Amol Palekar and his light-moment films, then do pick this one up. With DVD rates falling in India, this one is a definite bargain.
Date of release: 15 June 1978
Cast: Amol Palekar, Ranjeeta, Ashok Saraf, Shriram Lagoo, Pinchoo Kapoor, Priti Ganguly, Keshto Mukherjee, Dina Pathak
Writer and Director: Rajat Rakshit
Music: Hemant Bhosle |
  
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