Gharwali baharwali

What doesn’t work for Hochheta Ki? is its storyline. Because Basu Chatterjee, who had made films like Chhoti Si Baat, Baaton Baaton Mein and Khatta Meetha, tries to do a David Dhawan of Saajan Chale Sasural, Biwi No. 1 and Gharwali Baharwali fame, and what comes through is quite insipid.

Hochheta Ki? is the story of a medical representative (chhaposha Bangalibabu) who falls in love with another woman, just like that, four years into his marriage. That may not be a problem; the problem is the way he looks into the camera and starts telling the story of his life. One would have expected some more punch to his story.

The film’s pace is another deterrent. It meanders unnecessarily to give equal footage to all its actors. The point would have hit home had it come fast and funny. The conclusion of the story again is completely slipshod. Sorry, you do not take home any of the fun.

What works for Hochheta Ki? is Rajatava, above everything else. His comic timing is perfect. His expressions and delivery make the film watchable. While Prosenjit deadpans, Rajatava offers great comic support to the central characters. Together, the two do manage some side-splitting moments.

To add to the fun, you have veterans like Paran Bandopadhyay and Ramaprasad Banik. The fun doesn’t descend to the domain of the crass though there are some bawdy comic moments. The two girls, gharwali Pauli Dam and baharwali Arunima Ghosh, competently hold their own among the veteran actors. So, only the performances may seem worth the ticket money.