During school days everyone would remember the old story of the race between Tortoise and Hare. Sai Paranjape here depicts the same story but using male characters as Rajaram (Naseeruddin Shah) for Tortoise and Bashudev (Farooq Sheikh) for Hare. The story is based on the background of the chawls in Mumbai where there are day to day common issues of common toilets, filling water early in the morning, residents acting as one family, the social and cultural meetings for various occasions etc. We see Rajaram suffering each day in order to help others but his happiness for helping others supersedes the pain in suffering. In perfect contrast, Bashudev acts to help others and this way fulfills his own wish, without even the other person realizing that he/she is actually getting used by him
Rajaram believes in the aspects of truthfulness and honesty. But for Bashudev conman ship is the act of life. Bashudev believes until you get caught enjoy your way out and once caught or fulfilled the wish, time to say 'Alvida' (Good bye)
Both the actors have marvelously done their part. I don't think Farooq exceeded himself in any of his other movies. Sir Naseer is of course a gem of an actor. The more we appreciate the less said it is for his caliber in acting. In between the two male actors, Dipti Naval as Sandhya (read the prize for the race) also does a splendid job. The supporting casts do play their roles properly. But hats-off to the director Sai Paranjape for making one of the masterpiece in Hindi cinema.
With repeated viewings, I could find a lot of scenes which depict the genius in both direction and acting, e.g.
1. Rajaram repeating his "Main permanent ho gaya hu"(I am confirmed in my job) quote to neighboring Bapu, but Bapu only concerned about fulfilling his own small needs. When Bapu is done with his demands, Rajaram modestly asks him "Aur kuch kaam Bapu..."(Anything else?) and leaves Bapu's room
2. Rajaram asking his love Sandhya to not call him Rajaramji (Ji stands for Sir) but Rajaram
.and she replies "Aapke personality main hi 'Ji' hain" (Your personality reflects Ji)
3. When Rajaram is asked by his boss as how he liked the new ad-movie about their product(Footprint Shoes), he is the only person in the audience who honestly replies that movie is waste and such an ad-movie would make their product appear funny
As what happens with such lone opinions(despite of being honest) the boss humiliates him "Obviously you know more about office files then about Art" 4. Bashudev flattering the owner of 'Footprint Shoes' and getting a precious job for himself
Rajaram is in grave surprise that Bashudev neither has any qualification nor any experience but still has a better job than him
5. Bashudev flirting with his boss's wife in the party thrown by the boss himself
6. Nearing climax when after listening the whole story by Sandhya
Rajaram still claims honestly that his decision and love haven't changed
One scene which stands out and shows Sir Naseer's caliber is,
When Sandhya's parents come to Rajaram's place to talk about Sandhya's marriage, Rajaram blushes to the maximum but when he realizes that they(Sandhya as well) expect groom as Bashudev
his expression changes from vast happiness to severe sadness
This movie is a rare combination of entertainment on offbeat ground. This is was a rare occurrence in those days. In whatever way, this movie can be watched on either view viz. to see pure Art or to get entertained. On the concept of real human philosophy, this is not a cinematic grandeur worth missing.
