Humour doesn’t turn in a lot of
audience for Indian movies. However, despite this some of the movies
have attained a cult status through sheer audience
affection. Although there is a slew of “comedies” especially recently
very few have achieved the kind of following that the movies below.
Below is a video with ten more movies that I have felt deserved to be on the list.
I want to include movies with a great screenplay and so I have not included movies with slapstick comedy. I would also club most Hrishikesh Mukherjee movies into one bonus category because other movies won’t stand a chance otherwise!
10) Delhi Belly: Rare genre comic thriller.
Directed by Abhinay Deo
Written by Akshat Verma
This movie by Abhinav Deo was a surprise hit. An unconventional modern script that was also funny. It had the usual catch-lines and buzzwords that caught on the Indian urban youth’s attention, a rare thing for Indian movies.
9) Love Ke Liye Kuch Bhi Karega: Directed by Eeshwar Nivas
Written by Rajnish Thakur
You can be forgiven to not having noticed this movie. The movie had a few weak links in the actors who lacked acting skills, not be excused in a comedy at least. But still I would insist you give this movie a chance. It is still a good plot and you will manage to have a few good laughs.
8) Oye Lucky Lucky Oye: Directed by Dibakar Banerjee
Written by Urmi Juvekar
This movie while inspired by a real incident has funny perspective at how youth perceives the materialistic philosophy. And how there will be someone who is always a step ahead of you. It has the Banerjee’s narrative style that does not meander from storytelling fun but still gets the point across.
7) Herapheri: Directed by Priyadarshan
Screenplay by Neeraj Vora
Story by Siddique Lal
This is the movie that can claim to have brought back the popularity of comedy films. Wonderfully written plot with interesting characters this movie was the first almost a decade after Andaz Apna Apna’s success to have made an impact on the audience.
6) Jaane Bhi Do Yaaron: Directed by Kundan Shah
Written by Kundan Shah, Sudhir Mishra,
Ranjit Kapoor, Satish Kaushik
The movie promptly flopped continuing the tradition of good movies going flop before audience raises them to cult status. It actually manages to portray India’s erstwhile political state without being preachy. Although one can argue how well this black comedy has aged, it was still a good movie when production budgets were shoestring and the general moviemaking was romantic dramas that demanded all colours from the Eastman range.
5) Chashme Baddoor: Directed and Written
by Sai Paranjpye
This Sai Paranjpye movie was a brand among which were another movies such as Katha. Blessed with one of the most talented bunch of actors such as Farrukh Sheikh, Ravi Baswani, Deepti Naval and Sayyed Jafri. This one of the rare romantic comedies that stay true to the genre without falling to the masala format, while actually managing to poke fun at it.
4) Munnabhai MBBS: Story & Directed by Rajkumar Hirani
Vidhu Vinod Chopra
Rajkumar Hirani
Lajan Joseph Oommen
Although inspired by Hollywood comedy this one is still a good adaptation that manages to borrow just plot elements and manage a narrative that is rooted in the premises of the movie. One of the rare comedies that was actually a commercial success as well.
3) Andaz Apna Apna: Directed by Rajkumar Santoshi
Story by Piyush Changde
Dialogues by Dilip Shukla
Screenplay by Aditya Sohoni
If you were born in the 90s and watched Hindi movies, you definitely have memory of having discovered gem and recommending it to others. Definitely my story. The makers and actors of this movie did not pin high hopes from this movie and was in the making for three years, as the actors were available only when there was nothing else on their schedule (Its behind the scenes drama had made more news at the time). As they had imagined this movie promptly failed at the cinemas. Until this movie was released on television and the 90s audience found the funniest movie of the decade.
2) Angoor: Written and Directed by Gulzar
Gulzar’s inspired by Shakespeare’s Comedy of Errors. But the movie makes the plot its own and makes the characters more complex than the original. This movie has some landmark performances that can stand by themselves against entire slapstick movies, such as the one where Sanjeev Kumar checks the train to check if a robber has entered their train compartment, is on an entirely differently league. Not a single word is exchanged between Sanjeev Kumar and Deven Verma yet it is delivered with panache.
1) Chupke Chupke: Do you think Angoor should have been the first? Don’t worry the ranking is arbitrary, and all three top spots are more or less at the top. So since that is settled… After making Upendranath Ganguly’s Chhadobeshi in Bengali, Hriskesh Mukherjee saw the potential of making the movie in Hindi while comedies tend to get lost in translation, this one manages to win hearts by endearing performances by it lead. I would have almost not seen this movie if it were not for having taken chance on it on television.
Directed by Hrishikesh Mukherjee
Written by Gulzar, Shakeel Chandra,
Sotory: Upendranath Ganguly’s “Chhadobeshi”
Did I forget any? Almost all of these movies are great for their quirky perspective on life, let me know if I have missed any such. Which movie would you place number 1 on your list?
Below is a video with ten more movies that I have felt deserved to be on the list.
I want to include movies with a great screenplay and so I have not included movies with slapstick comedy. I would also club most Hrishikesh Mukherjee movies into one bonus category because other movies won’t stand a chance otherwise!
10) Delhi Belly: Rare genre comic thriller.
Directed by Abhinay Deo
Written by Akshat Verma
This movie by Abhinav Deo was a surprise hit. An unconventional modern script that was also funny. It had the usual catch-lines and buzzwords that caught on the Indian urban youth’s attention, a rare thing for Indian movies.
9) Love Ke Liye Kuch Bhi Karega: Directed by Eeshwar Nivas
Written by Rajnish Thakur
You can be forgiven to not having noticed this movie. The movie had a few weak links in the actors who lacked acting skills, not be excused in a comedy at least. But still I would insist you give this movie a chance. It is still a good plot and you will manage to have a few good laughs.
8) Oye Lucky Lucky Oye: Directed by Dibakar Banerjee
Written by Urmi Juvekar
This movie while inspired by a real incident has funny perspective at how youth perceives the materialistic philosophy. And how there will be someone who is always a step ahead of you. It has the Banerjee’s narrative style that does not meander from storytelling fun but still gets the point across.
7) Herapheri: Directed by Priyadarshan
Screenplay by Neeraj Vora
Story by Siddique Lal
This is the movie that can claim to have brought back the popularity of comedy films. Wonderfully written plot with interesting characters this movie was the first almost a decade after Andaz Apna Apna’s success to have made an impact on the audience.
6) Jaane Bhi Do Yaaron: Directed by Kundan Shah
Written by Kundan Shah, Sudhir Mishra,
Ranjit Kapoor, Satish Kaushik
The movie promptly flopped continuing the tradition of good movies going flop before audience raises them to cult status. It actually manages to portray India’s erstwhile political state without being preachy. Although one can argue how well this black comedy has aged, it was still a good movie when production budgets were shoestring and the general moviemaking was romantic dramas that demanded all colours from the Eastman range.
5) Chashme Baddoor: Directed and Written
by Sai Paranjpye
This Sai Paranjpye movie was a brand among which were another movies such as Katha. Blessed with one of the most talented bunch of actors such as Farrukh Sheikh, Ravi Baswani, Deepti Naval and Sayyed Jafri. This one of the rare romantic comedies that stay true to the genre without falling to the masala format, while actually managing to poke fun at it.
4) Munnabhai MBBS: Story & Directed by Rajkumar Hirani
Vidhu Vinod Chopra
Rajkumar Hirani
Lajan Joseph Oommen
Although inspired by Hollywood comedy this one is still a good adaptation that manages to borrow just plot elements and manage a narrative that is rooted in the premises of the movie. One of the rare comedies that was actually a commercial success as well.
3) Andaz Apna Apna: Directed by Rajkumar Santoshi
Story by Piyush Changde
Dialogues by Dilip Shukla
Screenplay by Aditya Sohoni
If you were born in the 90s and watched Hindi movies, you definitely have memory of having discovered gem and recommending it to others. Definitely my story. The makers and actors of this movie did not pin high hopes from this movie and was in the making for three years, as the actors were available only when there was nothing else on their schedule (Its behind the scenes drama had made more news at the time). As they had imagined this movie promptly failed at the cinemas. Until this movie was released on television and the 90s audience found the funniest movie of the decade.
2) Angoor: Written and Directed by Gulzar
Gulzar’s inspired by Shakespeare’s Comedy of Errors. But the movie makes the plot its own and makes the characters more complex than the original. This movie has some landmark performances that can stand by themselves against entire slapstick movies, such as the one where Sanjeev Kumar checks the train to check if a robber has entered their train compartment, is on an entirely differently league. Not a single word is exchanged between Sanjeev Kumar and Deven Verma yet it is delivered with panache.
1) Chupke Chupke: Do you think Angoor should have been the first? Don’t worry the ranking is arbitrary, and all three top spots are more or less at the top. So since that is settled… After making Upendranath Ganguly’s Chhadobeshi in Bengali, Hriskesh Mukherjee saw the potential of making the movie in Hindi while comedies tend to get lost in translation, this one manages to win hearts by endearing performances by it lead. I would have almost not seen this movie if it were not for having taken chance on it on television.
Directed by Hrishikesh Mukherjee
Written by Gulzar, Shakeel Chandra,
Sotory: Upendranath Ganguly’s “Chhadobeshi”
Did I forget any? Almost all of these movies are great for their quirky perspective on life, let me know if I have missed any such. Which movie would you place number 1 on your list?
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