With lockdown still on in certain places like restaurants, malls, multiplexs and specially Cinema Houses, there has been a torrent of releases on the web platform or OTT as it is called, both in form of new web series as well as new movie offerings like Bahut Hua Sammaan. This is now the new norm to keep us all busy during this slowdown period and also keep them entertained. Though some big releases are still being held back for hopefully a full theatrical release later this year.
While some of these OTT offerings are run-of-the-mill, some outright boring, some gripping and some entertaining . Latest in this sequence is the film- Bahut Hua Samman on Disney-Hotstar. An innocuous movie you might think, it seems that it was complete with them for some time and then they realised it’s time to take it out of the bag. Released on 2nd October Bahut Hua Sammaan is a satire on the current socio political situation in the country notwithstanding the covid-19 situation.
There are five main characters in the movie that is Fundoo (new comer Abhishek Chauhan), Bony (the wannabe funny anchor of reality shows Raghav Juyal) what kind of names are these, surely not what their parents would have given. Then there is the communist sympathizer Baba played by the supremely talented Sanjay Mishra, Police Inspector Bobby Tiwari enacted by Nidhi Singh, the rising star on OTT platform last seen in PARI-WAR and Lovely Singh character played by a slightly thinner Ram Kapoor.
Initially Bahut Hua Sammaan seems to be like a half hearted over top hamming attempt at a comedy, without a cause, but things change after mid point and it plays out as a surprise packet. Comic book style has been used to change frame, this style was first used in Bollywood in Shahid Kapoor starrer Fool N Final in 2007. If you leave out the initial part the movie seems logical and sensible in the later part. The movie is set in Varanasi, in an engineering college campus.
All the characters have their own agenda like the Two no-good nincompoop boys Bony and Fundoo who are bound to fail in all their endeavours and are also paraded on the stage in front of the college a la ‘3 Idiots’. Desparate to make big despite failures they are brainwashed by Baba to rob a bank, Baba knows that it is a mission which is going to be doomed but would like to take chance. Baba has his own agenda of teaching a lesson to the capitalists. The one person who seems to be having a mind of her own in this mad show is Bobby Tiwari who wants to solve the case but as layer upon layer get pealed off as onion skin a deeper conspiracy is unearthed.
Bahut Hua Sammaan has all ingredients of masala film like a Baba Ramdev type spiritual Guru, a corrupt politician, gangsters, henchmen, stock market and last but not the least sperm donation ‘Vicky Donor’ style too are served in such a way that it all makes sense though however improbable in real life. The movie seems to be paying it’s tribute to these classics. The last hour or so is engaging, worth a look on a lazy Sunday afternoon.
– PAWAN GUPTA
Cast of Bahut Hua Sammaan:
Raghav Juyal as Bony
Abhishek Chauhan as Fundoo
Sanjay Mishra as the Baba
Nidhi Singh as Bobby Tiwari (Police Inspector)
Ram Kapoor as Lovely Singh
Credits of Bahut Hua Sammaan:
Director – Ashish Shukla
Written by Vijay Narayan Verma, Avinash Singh
Released on Disney-Hotstar
