Bollywood comedies revelling in buffoonery and slapstick is a regular sight on the silver screen. Dhamaal 4‘s mindless madness scoring at the box office, fourth time in a row, appears to have the formula down pat.
It may not be everyone’s idea of fun but its success prompted Sukanya Verma to look at 10 of the silliest laugh-raisers we love to indulge in every now and then.
These goofy 10 may not be as pop culturally potent as the likes of comic classics Andaz Apna Apna, Dulhe Raja, Hera Pheri, Chachi 420, Coolie No 1, Lage Raho Munnabhai or Stree but its madcap humour enjoys a loyal following of its own.
Key Points
- Topping the list is Singh Is Kinng, followed by Welcome, Mujhse Shaadi Karogi, Judwaa, and Mr And Mrs Khiladi, highlighting Bollywood’s enduring love for loud, carefree comedy.
- Comedy icons like Akshay Kumar, Salman Khan, Shah Rukh Khan, Aamir Khan, Ajay Devgn, Paresh Rawal, Arshad Warsi, and Riteish Deshmukh dominate the list with memorable performances.
- Filmmakers such as Priyadarshan, Rohit Shetty, David Dhawan, Anees Bazmee, and Indra Kumar are credited for creating some of Bollywood’s most loved slapstick entertainers.
10. Ishq
Aamir Khan and Ajay Devgn as prankster BFFs at the helm of all sorts of ridiculous gags in Indra Kumar’s Ishq is over-the-top tomfoolery at its peak.
What’s least funny about Ishq is how the full-on comedy transforms into a full-blown melodrama in its second half.
9. Dhamaal
Dhamaal‘s It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World rip-off revolves around the misadventures of four good-for-nothing fellas seeking a secret treasure.
Of course the source of all their purported ‘madness’ is the comic camaraderie between the lads, especially the ever reliable Jaaved Jaafferi, Arshad Warsi and Riteish Deshmukh.
8. Malamaal Weekly
Malamaal Weekly‘s comedy of chaos comes alive in its bubbling crowd of funnymen like Paresh Rawal, Asrani, Rajpal Yadav, Om Puri and Riteish Deshmukh when an entire village wrangles over a winning lottery ticket in classic Priyadarshan tradition.
The upshot is pure pandemonium and a barrage of memes.
7. Chennai Express
A loony Shah Rukh Khan and unexpectedly hilarious Deepika Padukone’s trip down south goes south as they fall in love against all odds and oddballs in the Rohit Shetty brand of hyper colourful and gravity-defying entertainment.
6. Golmaal: Fun Unlimited
An awkward-looking Ajay Devgn doesn’t come in the way of the rest of the cast having a blast in Rohit Shetty’s slice of frivolity about swindling pals taking shelter in the abode of an old blind couple.
Silly, self-aware one-liners, spoofy takes, Golmaal‘s success marked the beginning of its four film franchise and another one in the works.
5. Mr And Mrs Khiladi
Akshay Kumar’s foolishly grinning bum letting a prediction-ready pundit be the master of his destiny even after he falls in love with the daughter of a wealthy is David Dhawan fluff at its most cheerful and elevated by the comic charms of Kader Khan, Paresh Rawal, Satish Kaushik and Juhi Chawla.
4. Judwaa
What’s better than one Salman Khan? Why two Sallus, of course!
Well, at least in the 1990s where the man appeared to touch anything and turn it into gold like his super tapori and timid gigs in and as Judwaa. The man’s silly shenanigans sums up the A to Z of the plot.
3. Mujhse Shaadi Karogi
Salman and Akshay at each other’s throats in a game of romantic one-upmanship, Amrish Puri’s ultimate pug love, Kader Khan’s daily disease, Rajpal Yadav doing Rajpal Yadav things, the laughs are constant and crazy in this live action tribute to Tom and Jerry’s eternal rivalry.
2. Welcome
Taking loose inspiration from Hollywood’s Mickey Blue Eyes and giving it a complete Bollywood masala makeover, Welcome‘s regular guy caught in gangster drama finds its comical sur in the side-splitting antics of Anil Kapoor, Nana Patekar, Akshay Kumar and Paresh Rawal as well as Feroz Khan’s unintentional drollery.
Welcome to the Jungle, the latest in the brain rot franchise, tries hard to match the OG’s league. Occasionally, it succeeds too.
1. Singh is Kinng
Singh is Kinng‘s arrival announced the prime of Akshay Kumar’s comedic prowess. The man had to sneeze and the audience would roll on the floor laughing.
But the Anees Bazmee conducted mafia mayhem does not take its merriment for granted finding some genuinely wild wit in the collective hijinks of Sonu Sood, Jaaved Jaafferi, Manoj Pahwa, Om Puri as bungling, blowing hot blowing cold sardars.
Photographs curated by Satish Bodas/Rediff
