It's been a while since I had last seen a refreshing Hindi comedy film. That's what 'Love Khichdi' is. In case one is wondering, khichdi is a kind of dish where rice is cooked with lentils. The result is something yellow and delicious. 'Love Khichdi' is just as delightfully tasteful.
Director Srinivas Bhashyam may have been inspired by the fantastic TV series 'Kitchen Confidential' but this is no rip-off nor does it directly copy any scene from the aforementioned series. He stays focused on the lead character Vir, a vagrant womanizer and gifted sous chef, who maintains a no-strings-attached relationship with every woman in his life. Of course not all of them are successful as such is the case with the voluptuous Pammi, the sexy maid Shanta and the sweet girl next door Sandhya. My only minor quibble is that I would have liked to see more development in the story after Vir hears of the engagement of one of the women in his life. I felt the sequences thereafter were a bit rushed.
The execution is pretty good. I liked the authentic Indian settings. The sets weren't too lavish, as if one is watching a fairy tale about some rich people. The background score is alright. Even though I did not like the instrumental tracks, they didn't ruin the film for me. The songs were passable except for the fantasy song that has been visualized in portions as Vir or the women fantasize about one another. This song is energetic and just brilliant for the fantasy sequences. The lyrics are hilarious.
After a long time, Randeep Hooda gets a great lead part in a worthy movie and he does a good enough job. The luminous Rituparna Sengupta, hilarious Divya Dutta and laugh-out-loud inducing Sonali Kulkarni are terrific. Even Riya Sen is alright (but then again, she's playing a 16 year old bimbo who has a crush on Vir). Sada is very likable and Saurabh Shukla is great.
'Love Khichdi' has indeed been a fun watch and I am glad to know that Hindi cinema can still offer us such refreshing comedic treats.
