Comical Crime Lords

Chunky Pandey as Arjun Rana (Kookri Don) Chunky Pandey always had that comic streak in him which he displayed in films like Aankhen, Tezaab etc. However in his second innings in Bollywood, he got all the nuances right for his character of the Nepali Don, ‘Arjun Rana’, Read More">in last year’s comic hit Apna Sapna MoneyRead More

Chunky Pandey as Arjun Rana (Kookri Don)

Chunky Pandey always had that comic streak in him which he displayed in films like Aankhen, Tezaab etc. However in his second innings in Bollywood, he got all the nuances right for his character of the Nepali Don, ‘Arjun Rana’, in last year’s comic hit Apna Sapna Money Money. It was probably for the first time that a Bollywood film had a full fledged Nepali character playing Don and to say that Chunky pulled it off fabulously would be an understatement. He got the look right, wearing the typical costumes worn by the Gurkha clan; he also had the right make- up and to top it all the body language was spot on. Whenever he makes an entry with his gang of Gurkhas, carrying daggers etc, the background music plays “Oooooo Shaaaabjeeeeee.” Also, his sidekicks have the typical names like Kancha, Cheena and even Thapa. The most hilarious part of the character is his accent which makes the proceedings all the more funny. No wonder that this comical crime lord was so loved by one and all and Chunky even got nominated for many awards for his funny portrayal of the Kookri Don.

Bollywood has always taken a fancy for both Crime and Comedy as genres in film-making. However, some filmmakers have gone one-step further in merging the two, Read More">thereby creating memorable characters that we lovingly call ‘Comical Crime Lords’. Actors who have played the villain in many movies have also left a long lasting impression in rolesRead More

Bollywood has always taken a fancy for both Crime and Comedy as genres in film-making. However, some filmmakers have gone one-step further in merging the two, thereby creating memorable characters that we lovingly call ‘Comical Crime Lords’. Actors who have played the villain in many movies have also left a long lasting impression in roles where they played the buffoon gangsters, the ones who never quite got anything right and ended up looking funny rather than frightening.

This week’s Christmas release Welcome also sees Anil Kapoor and Nana Patekar playing comic mafia dons having really funny names, Majnu Bhai and Uday Shetty Bhai respectively, and needless to say, even funnier one-liners.

IndiaFM takes a trip down the ‘Bhai Giri’ lane where we bring you some of the best Comic Crime Lords of the last few years.

Shakti Kapoor as Crime Master GOGO

One of Bollywood’s most loved comical villains is ‘Crime Master GOGO’ played by the versatile Shakti Kapoor in the cult comedy Andaaz Apna Apna. This Rajkumar Santoshi flick starring Aamir Khan and Salman Khan didn’t quite set the box-office on fire when it released in 1994, but it remains to be one of the favorite comedy flicks of the current generation.

Shakti plays ‘Crime Master GOGO’ in a wacky get-up with a ‘Zorro’ like black and red colored robe, oiled hair, a ponytail and dark glasses. He takes pride in calling himself a ‘Khaandani Chor’ as he is the nephew of yet another famous Bollywood villain Mogambo. What is really funny, is the fact he tries to scare people with corny lines like “Main Aankhein Nikaal Kar Gotiyaan Khelta Hoon”. Also, he always makes an over the top (literally) entry, each time he appears searching madly for his diamonds. In the climax sequence, he literally brings the house down when he is frustrated with the whole look-alike angle of Paresh Rawal and yells “Yeh Teja Teja Kya Hai, Yeh Teja Teja”, which is a take on the famous song ‘Ilu Ilu’ from Subhash Ghai’s Saudagar.

With such histrionics on display, this is one comic villain character who will rarely ever GO –GO from the audience’s memory.

Goga Kapoor as Anthony Gomes Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa may have released more than a decade ago but it still continues to remain one of Shah Rukh Khan’s best films till date. The film set in Goa had a host of interesting characters but none more loveable and charming than the friendly Don, Anthony Gomes, Read More">Read More

Goga Kapoor as Anthony Gomes

Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa may have released more than a decade ago but it still continues to remain one of Shah Rukh Khan’s best films till date. The film set in Goa had a host of interesting characters but none more loveable and charming than the friendly Don, Anthony Gomes, played by Goga Kapoor. The Don first makes an appearance in the popular China Town Club where Shah Rukh and his band are performing. He gets all emotional, even shedding a tear, after hearing their song which is apparently based on his own life. What follows thereafter is even more funny and heart-warming. The Don is completely ‘fida’ over SRK and is willing to do anything to see that he gets the girl of his dreams, Suchitra Krishnamoorthy. One of the very hilarious scenes is the one where the Don comes to SRK’s home with the fake mark-sheet in which he has topped all the subjects. The film even ends with the Don and his hippie sidekick giving a message on love and explaining that life is all about ups and downs, Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa. This is truly one crime lord who shows that tough Men also have a soft side to them.

Satish Kaushik as Pappu Pager Shakespeare had once said, “What’s in a name”, well I must say everything, especially if you have a name like ‘Pappu Pager’. This wacky name belonged to Satish Kaushik’s character in the David Dhawan laugh riot, Deewana Mastana, starring Anil Kapoor, Read More">Govinda and Juhi. Satish Kaushik has done many substantialRead More

Satish Kaushik as Pappu Pager

Shakespeare had once said, “What’s in a name”, well I must say everything, especially if you have a name like ‘Pappu Pager’. This wacky name belonged to Satish Kaushik’s character in the David Dhawan laugh riot, Deewana Mastana, starring Anil Kapoor, Govinda and Juhi. Satish Kaushik has done many substantial roles as the comedian in films like Mr. India , Haseena Maan Jayegi , Mr. & Mrs. Khiladi, Saajan Chale Sasural to name a few but it was his small role as Pappu Pager that became an instant hit especially with all the ‘taporis’. Satish plays a ‘bhai’ dressed in gaudy clothes, dark glasses et al who takes a ‘supari’ from Govinda to bump off Anil Kapoor. His interactions with Govinda are some of the best scenes in the film. Note the lingo, when both of them give the audiences a full course in Tapori Dictionary what with words like ‘Intukle , Pintukale , Tapka , Satka , Aunty Bajareli Ghanti’ forming part of their conversations. Also, what is really funny is the way he is himself gets threatened, slapped, and humiliated around by Govinda, Anil & co. in front of his own henchmen. The way he re-assures his sidekicks of his reputation as a Bhai is hilarious, “Aaye, Tum Log Ghabrane Ka Nahin Kya. Pehli Baar Pappu Pager Ko Koi Bhaari Padela Hai. Kuch Sochna Padenga” was aptly the last famous words of this colorful comical crime lord.

Johnny Lever as Aslam Bhai 2001 saw the release of E.Niwas’s Love Ke Liye Kuch Bhi Karega a romantic comedy that starred many big names like Fardeen, Saif, Aftab, Twinkle Khanna and Sonali Bendre in lead roles. However, the only character from that forgettable flick, which people perhaps remember even today, Read More">is that of AslamRead More

Johnny Lever as Aslam Bhai

2001 saw the release of E.Niwas’s Love Ke Liye Kuch Bhi Karega a romantic comedy that starred many big names like Fardeen, Saif, Aftab, Twinkle Khanna and Sonali Bendre in lead roles. However, the only character from that forgettable flick, which people perhaps remember even today, is that of Aslam Bhai played by none other than the ‘King of Comedy’ Johnny Lever.

Johnny plays ‘Aslam Bhai’-a ‘hafta-vasooli’ goon who always makes a dramatic entry with his gang of side-kicks in a line of auto-rickshaws. He nurtures this silent dream of acting in a Bollywood film and gets all excited when a rogue film-maker Aaj Kapoor (played by Snehal Dhabi) offers him the lead role in one of his non-existent film projects. What is most hilarious is the film in question which is cheekily titled Hum Dilwalon Ko Bohut Kuch Hota Hai Sanam and is to be directed by the never before 4 in 1 combination of Sooraj-Aditya-Johar- Bhansali. However, when he realizes that he has been duped by the fake producer for 30 lakhs, his dreams of starring in a film with Aishwarya Rai come crashing down, and Johnny unleashes all his fury on the rogue film-maker.

The character truly symbolizes in the most hilarious way, the latent desire of being the next Shah Rukh or Hrithik.