A Retrospective Review of One of My Favorite Films – Hera Pheri

Here we do a retrospective review of this iconic film and find out what made this movie the classic it is.

---

In the year 2000, when the world was moving on from one millennium to another, Priyadarshan and co. dropped a film that would go on to define comedy for the 21st century Bollywood.

The film titled Hera Pheri, released on 31st March and was meant to be just another classic comic caper, with all the A-list actors, dance numbers and a wholesome sense of entertainment.

But it turned out to be so much more.

The film not only became a cult classic in itself but it also set the tone for almost all the major comedy films to come for the next 10-15 years. It turned Akshay Kumar’s career in a completely new direction, gave Paresh Rawal one of his most iconic characters, and of course, became the source of 90% of all Indian memes, that I helplessly doomscroll late into the night.

What is Hera Pheri all about?

The film is a remake of the 1988 Malayalam language film Ramji Rao Speaking, which is an iconic film in itself. Even though it borrows a lot of elements from the original, this film is rooted in its setting and forms a unique identity of its own, which has lived on in Indian pop culture.

Hera Pheri is about the mishaps and misadventures of three men - Raju (Akshay Kumar), Shyam (Suniel Shetty) and Baburao (Paresh Rawal) - who are struggling with their individual money-related problems.

This 138 minutes long film promises a laughter riot. It has loads of gags, jokes, one-liners, and comic routines to make you laugh till your stomach hurts. But what elevates this film is that its core lies in a genuine, relatable and somber place.

The film is concerned with a common problem that a majority of Indians face on a daily basis - The common middle-class man’s struggle to earn his bread. This is why when in the film there are many sad and grim scenes about the trio’s struggles that may even leave some viewers teary-eyed.

What makes it great?

Suniel Shetty once said in an interview that the idea of Rawal trying to control two big action stars in Shetty and Kumar throughout the running minutes, was so new for its time, and I couldn’t agree more. It is so refreshing to see the “stars” not take over the characters, and the credit goes to Priyadarshan for bringing out the best in all three of his actors.

1. Representation of the marginalized & the struggling

Almost all characters in the film represent an inherently marginalized section of society. Raju struggles to make something of himself and to provide for his mother, Shyam is someone who has migrated to the big city for opportunities and to fulfill his responsibilities. Baburao is just trying to get by and enjoy his life as he tries to pay off his father’s debts.

Even the supporting characters such as Anuradha (Tabu) and Khadak Singh (Om Puri), both of whom are struggling to provide for their families, add to the emotional core and depth of the film.

This hits right home for a majority of the audience. Even today, people are struggling with many such issues and can easily relate to the problems, situations, conflicts, and morally ambiguous decisions the characters have to make throughout the film.

2. Writing steeped in Indian culture

The dialogues by Neeraj Vora are the cherry on the cake and the overall writing of the film brings out the “Indianness” in the story.

The lines are stuffed with mythological references, quips, and remarks which strike a chord through all sections of society. Asrani asking Tabu to woo Shetty’s character like Maneka wooed Vishwamitra is something that would be relatable for all audiences and cinemas, be it a multiplex or a single-screen.

3. Amazing performances

The writing is enhanced by the wonderful performances., and the chemistry between the three leads is what drives this film.

Akshay Kumar’s deadpan humor which has now become his trademark, was introduced to us in this film. Even though sometimes he looks uncomfortable in the part, he slowly grows into his role as the film progresses. Suniel Shetty plays his character with sincerity, even though his character is not as loud and comical as the other two, but his role as the emotional core of the three is what keeps their dynamic balanced.

An iconic Paresh Rawal performance

But hands down, this is Paresh Rawal’s film.

His Baburao Ganpat Rao Apte is a character that has become a pop-culture icon and rightly so. The energy, timing, and the body language he has designed for his character, makes him utterly unique and memorable.

Why this character stands out from all the other quirky characters usually written, is because Rawal, a master of his craft, ably uses his whole body for humor. He doesn’t rely just on one-liners and his expressions and movements are enough to give you a chuckle and at the same time arouse your curiosity. This is what makes him the most unpredictable and enjoyable character in the film.

The mastery of Rawal’s craft, characterization, and skillful use of body language for humor is on par with and in the same tradition of the work that has been done by masterful actors like Rowan Atkinson, Johnny Depp, and Jim Parsons.

4. Chemistry between the cast

The best scenes in the film are the interactions between the lead trio. Rawal’s masterful performance easily covers the comic weaknesses of the other two.

Shetty once said in an interview that the idea of Rawal trying to control two big action stars in Shetty and Kumar throughout the running minutes, was so new for its time, and I couldn’t agree more. It is so refreshing to see the “stars” not take over the characters, and the credit goes to Priyadarshan for bringing out the best in all three of his actors.

These three are strongly supported by the amazing cast of supporting actors, Tabu, Asrani, Gulshan Grover, Kashmira Shah, Om Puri, Kulbhushan Kharbanda and Mukesh Khanna.

Surprisingly out of all, it is Puri who faults at times in his performance. His high-pitched and over-the-top Khadak Singh can get on your nerves in some scenes. Unfortunately, some of the lamest gags in the film also fall in his lap.

All is not perfect, where does the film fall short?

However, the film is not perfect and has a few chinks in the armor.

The quirky music of the film is only good in parts, and they could have done away with some of the dance numbers.

The climax of the film feels rushed and the story writer chooses to do away with realism and logic for his convenience many times in the second half.

It is unbelievable how a cycling marathon wouldn’t stop when they see police cars chasing them and how naively Gulshan Grover assumes a sturdy and muscular Shetty to be a grandfather during the climax. The climax is very Chaplin-esque and funny in parts but is mismatched with the realistic satirical tone followed by the film up until that point.

Final thoughts

Despite all this, the film is so relatable and unique, that these shortcomings are easily covered up.

It has quirky music and score which adds to the identity of the film. When all the characters are down on their luck and start humming and dancing away their miseries to the song “Humba Leela Humba Leelo”, you can’t help but empathize with their hopelessness.

This film is Priyadarshan’s accidental genius. He knows the strength of his film lies in his characters, which is why he lets the frame stay still at a distance to capture all of his actors in one frame, and lets them create their magic on screen, whenever there is a hilarious back-and-forth between the characters.

He puts his faith in his three leads, each one of whom brings a different energy to the dynamic and gives them the freedom to explore their characters as much as they can.

The film’s relatability factor will strike a chord with many more generations to come and also make it the number one option for most desi memers on the internet. In today’s age when we are completely irritated with the trend of movies that are shockingly disconnected from actual reality, Hera Pheri stands tall within the pages of Indian cinema’s history as a benchmark of what Hindi cinema can achieve.