Are Bollywood comedies really that funny?

When you think of films with a comedy genre, what do you think of? For me, in Bollywood terms, comedy is the real silly, slap-stick ala Govinda – Johnny Lever – Kader Khan kind of films. I got to thinking of recent Bollywood films that have been classified as comedy, and I was surprised to see that there was a common plot that ran through the films I’m about to mention.

They all dealt with infidelity! The films usually revolve around men and their mistresses and, most of the time the comedy lies in the way they sneak around trying to see “the other woman”.
I found it particularly interesting, because our culture prides itself on the sanctity of marriage. And yet, in Bollywood, marriage is torn to pieces and extra-marital affairs are made fun of and regarded as being cute!

I have decided to list only the films that come to the top of my head, but the common theme is about the “fun” that men want to have outside of their marriages. I just wonder – what kind of message is being sent out to audiences? That it’s acceptable to explore other options if you’re bored in your marriage?

BIWI NO.1 (1999)
Directed by: David Dhawan
Starring: Anil Kapoor, Salman Khan, Sushmita Sen, Karisma Kapoor, Tabu

In Biwi No. 1, Salman is married to Karisma but when he hires Sushmita Sen as a model he falls in love with her, he leaves his wife for her.

GHARWALI BAHARWALI (1998)
Directed by: David Dhawan
Starring: Anil Kapoor, Raveena Tandon, Rambha

In this film, Raveena Tandon and Anil Kapoor are married – but unable to have children. His father (played by Kader Khan) urges him to find another wife, but he doesn’t want to. When he goes to Nepal, he somehow finds himself being married to Rambha – who, (to cut a long story short) has his baby. Meanwhile, he’s still married to Raveena!

MAINE PYAR KYUN KIYA? (2005)
Directed by: David Dhawan
Starring: Salman Khan, Sushmita Sen, Katrina Kaif, Sohail Khan

This story is about a bachelor (Salman Khan), who is in love with a model (Katrina Kaif). He doesn’t want the relationship to develop any further, so he tells her that he is already married. When Katrina insists on meeting his ‘wife’, he gets his nurse (Sushmita Sen) to act as his other half.

MASTI (2004)
Directed by: Indra Kumar
Starring: Vivek Oberoi, Aaftab Shivdasani, Ritesh Deshmukh, Lara Dutta

The film revolves around the Vivek, Aaftab and Ritesh and their lust for women. They are all bored in their marriages and decide to spice up their boring lives. Enter Lara Dutta. The men soon realize that they have made a terrible mistake and regret having their extra-marital flings.
NO ENTRY (2005)

Directed: Anees Bazmee
Starring: Anil Kapoor, Salman Khan, Fardeen Khan, Bipasha Basu, Lara Dutta

No Entry is the story of three men (Anil Kapoor, Salman Khan and Fardeen Khan) who are three friends. The bachelor of the group (Salman) persuades his friends to have fun outside of their marriages. His idea of ‘fun’ is the sexy club dancer, Bipasha Basu – which many men are unable to resist. The rest of the film is about how the two married men lie to their ever-doting wives to conceal their affairs.

By Sheetal Makhan

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