Sajjanpur ki kahani

On a whim, I decided to check out 'Welcome to Sajjanpur'. Shyam Benegal's latest, featuring Shreyas Talpade, Amrita Rao, Divya Dutta and some others. I think I am becoming an avid fan of Shreyas Talpade much like people who go nuts over Hrithik or SRK or AB. And largely because he is such an actor to the core. Granted he doesnt have rock star looks or any starry hangups, but if you wanted to watch an actor in action, so to speak- he's the man.

I wouldnt go as far as to label the movie with any superlatives. Not by any length. But what worked for me are the wonderful characterizations. The setting is a typical village in any part of India. Mahadev is a 'letter writer'- a very well educated one, at that. In this role, he gets to get involved in the lives of the many villagers who share their tales in the process of having to write letters. The instances when Mahadev takes his profession a bit too liberally and starts poking his nose into people's personal lives is entertaining and quite amusing.

So, no romantic scenes, no fancy song/dance sequences and jargon- just simple life in a small village where everyone knows everyone else, there are mothers worrying about getting their manglik girls married off, there are rival politicians trying to amass votes, there's a new bride writing letters to her husband who works in Mumbai..and so on.

The funniest scene that I will always remember from this movie would be the one where the manglik girl is married off to a dog. Ila Arun shines as always, and Shreyas- what can I say? He almost seems made for the role of the letter writer. His expressive face and histrionics keeps one entertained throughout.

The only thing about this movie that probably was the reason it didnt make it into the super hit category would have to be its oversimplified storyline thus making it bland fare. But if you have an evening to spare, do check it out. If nothing at all, there'll be a smile on your face at the end of it.