Phas Gaye Re Obama (2010)

Such a frustrating disappointment

good back-story, and good acting

I like movies that are aware of what they are selling... without [any] greater aspirations than to make people laugh and that's it.

This is a coming of age storyline that you've seen in one form or another for decades. It takes a truly unique voice to make yet another one worth watching.

This a Brilliant movie and deserves all the accolades in the world. The way movie moves from one instance to the other is just flawless, the whole story has a sense to it. I don't know how to put it in words but this movie is such realistic depiction of India that it never feels absurd or impossible. The picturization is so beautiful, the language of characters is so natural, the acting so true that everyone added value to the film. Dhupia looked sexy, better than what she looks with short clothes. Foremost I want to congratulated this little known director for the GREAT effort and tremendous movie. Please know that your Screenplay, writing and Direction has completely blowen away, us - viewers !I hope I could have watched this movie in the theater. Best luck Mr. Kapoor for your future endeavors and I will definitely watch your next movie.Thanks a ton for the entertainment ! Sidds.

Another gem of 2010.A comedy movie with a script (which is very rare now-a-days).Plot Summary: NRI OM Shastri is broke after recession hits USA, going to loose his home very soon if he doesn't come up with enough money to save it. He visits India to sell of his old "haveli" but finds all his relatives now stay there. He is now in a dilemma how he could make the deal, in between local goons com to know that an NRI has returned to India and kidnaps him. The movie starts here.Directing: The movie is directed in a very smart way, no unnecessary scenes, no songs (oh, that's a breather) and a nice crisp and fresh presentation.Editing: The editor did a superb job here. I can not point out a single scene which is stretched unnecessarily or slows down the pace of the movie. For a movie like this pace is very important which keeps the audience engaged and keeps them guessing whats gonna be next.Acting: I liked acting of Mannu Rishi in "Oye Lucky..." and he shines again here. Rajat Kapoor, I would say, had not had much acting scope. He did what the script wanted him to do...i.e.go with the flow. But, I would admit Neha Dhupia's effort, she is becoming an unavoidable choice for such small budget movies. And her acting skills are mentionable now. AND, SANJAY MISHRA as BHAISAAB is nothing but superb...each scene he is on screen is a LOL moment. Kudos to him. Amol Gupte also did a good job too. So, it seems I've praised all who acted in the movie...hmmm...Cinematography: Not much scope to show u scenic beauty of the place but the camera shows u what u need to see. No unnecessary closeup, no try to invent a new camera angle...the camera work goes with movie tone...telling a simple story in a simple way and keeping the focus on story.Verdict: A very good black comedy. Expect an intelligent story with a predictable ending (only if u r movie buff and I mean it when I say "movie buff"). Don't expect a laugh-out-loud movie like Khichdi (none can surpass it, ever) but, ya if u want to include brain and still want to make people laugh, u can only go this far as did "Phas gaye re obama". A must watch for sure.

Satires in their relatively rare existence have proved to be difficult to work upon in our film industry. For every 'Jaane bhi do yaaron', we also have a 'Peepli'. Director Subhash Kapoor sets his talented cast in the aftermath of the global recession with an outrageous mockery of the President's Yes We Can slogan. From its harshness about recession in America to the hilarious slump time for the local underworld, Phas Gaye Re Obama works in all aspects. The once millionaire, now in-debt Om Shastri (Rajat Kapoor) is on the verge of bankruptcy with his home on the brink of foreclosure in a month's time. Unless he finds means to pay off the bank, the recession threatens to bring his family on the street. In a desperate attempt to salvage a family fortune, Om travels to his homeland only to find that the recession has hit the hinterland as well and it will be impossible to sell the ancestral Haveli. However, the news of a millionaire NRI reaches the ears of Bhai Saab (Sanjay Mishra), a dejected yet ambitious small time gangster who kidnaps Shastri in broad daylight. Now, not only does Shastri have to salvage his home, but he also has to escape from the clutches of the tiered underworld of rural India involving Bhai Saab, Ali Bhai, Munni and an aspiring minister who secretly runs a very well organized kidnapping business. While the film gradually gathers pace in the first half after introducing its characters, the audience is entertained through hilarious scenes and dialogues that suggest nothing loud and ridiculous but are wacky and genuinely funny. The second half of the film is where the director shows his adroitness in dealing with suspense, drama and comedy in a satire while making it all sensible. As the screenplay draws your attention through a narrower tunnel, the focal point becomes Shastri's ingenious suggestion of his 'idea' to the goons, leading you to rejoice, applaud or grab another handful of popcorn till the next part unravels. Phas gaye re Obama is witty and without being nonsensical, it tries well to elaborate the plight of an opportunist in adverse circumstances that often tend to be seriously funny. The film's strengths lie in the director's ability to engage the actors into their characters leading to their laudable performances, the crisp screenplay that leaves no room for fillers, the witty dialogues however silly and a smooth blend of comedy stirred into serious circumstances. Often times, the film looks very serious but the characters have been introduced so well, that one cannot control the smirk even in a serious scene. While its comedy may not be a constant throughout, the lack of excessive has led to this film being worthy of a watch. Rajat Kapoor is a versatile actor and here, he leads his co-actors while showcasing a fine understanding of Om Shastri's circumstances. Sanjay Mishra was always capable of being more than a sidekick to someone and here, he proves that he is dependable in all comic avatars. Manu Rishi plays the pro-American Anni who works for the gangsters but deep within, is a friend-in-deed of Om Shastri. Neha Dhupia, in a shorter role, does better than her attempts at anything else in her glamorous career and Amole Gupte as the sly politician is convincingly brilliant. The sequence with 'Tyagi English Coaching classs' is sure the bring the house down while many dialogues and scenes involving Sanjay Mishra, Amole Gupte and Manu Rishi hold the comic bits together. Phas Gaye Re Obama is new age non-formulaic cinema that is funny unlike the attempted comedy of errors that we are subjected to so often. This is an effective satire with the recession's repercussions experienced by likable characters who are enriched by the director's adept writing and screenplay. If you enjoyed 'Tere Bin Laden', then you have no reason not to embrace this tribute to Obama.8.110 on a scale of 1-10.

Phas Gaye re Obama (PGRO) based at the time of the global economic recession, is the story of Om Shastri (Rajat Kapoor) who, once a successful business-man in the USA, is now broke and faced with the prospect of finding himself and his family without a home to live in. Left with no other choice he decides to visit India to sell his ancestral mansion and honor his financial obligations in the US. While the horrified attention of the world was fixated on badly faltering giant corporations, the little heard-of Kidnapping Industry in Om Shastri's village was going through times as rough as any other. Not only did the hostage's family reduce the ransom negotiation into a ridiculous Palika-Bazaar bargain they even asked back the kidnappers for loans. But as Om Shastri sets foot in his village kidnappers' sentiments soar as if Barack Obama himself had sanctioned a billion-dollar bail-out for this ailing industry. Through a series of hilarious plots Om Shastri touches the lives of several kidnapping gangs climaxing at the big-daddy of this Industry.Even though the plot of PGRO is virginal the concept has similarities to films like Khosla Ka Ghosla, 99, Sankat City, Ek Chalees Ki Last Local etc. in terms of the main protagonists getting unintentionally involved in the matters of the mafia, illegal money and through their ingenuous wits coming out unscathed and even richer on the other side.As is common to such films, PGRO also relies on well-crafted characters with ridiculous peculiarities and ironic scenes such as Mantriji (Amol Gupte) sacrificing a goat during the inauguration of a bridge while holding the portfolio of Ministry of Animal Welfare. The humor is restrained and at times subtle as opposed to cocky, laugh-out-loud wisecracks.Special mention for the background score that cleverly puts a variety of music ranging from 60's style Nirupa Roy-ish sitar twangs to Chak De India style exhorting crescendos to the most unexpected of scenes and characters.A slightly faster screenplay could have raised the prospects of PGRO's box-office success but if you are used to subtle humor then you will not complain.Quite liked the movie - 7 on 10.