A decent movie with wholesome entertainment

Rating: 6/10 (6 January 2009)

This is a well disguised, gender reversed version of 1970s movie 'Satyam Shivam Sundaram'. Ironically Surindar calls himself 'Raj Kapoor' for his alternate identity. A mid level electricity company employee, Surinder (SRK) is helping his college professor with his daughter's wedding when news arrives that the groom has died in an accident. The professor sustains a heart attacks and on his death bed convinces his daughter (Anushka) and Surinder to marry so he can die in peace. With more than a decade of age difference and having sustained two losses, the wife tells Surinder that she will try to be a good wife but will never be able to love him. With help of a hairstylist friend, Surinder creates an alternate persona for himself which is younger, peppy and somewhat loud to win heart of his wife. He flirts with his own wife as his alter-ego 'Raj' in a dance class and at night at home keeps his distance from as himself. The rest is entertaining but quite predictable. Other than 'Satyam Shivam Sundaram', you see glimpses of 'Mask' and 'Mrs. Doubtfire' in the story. It is rather unbelievable that a wife would not recognize her husband just because he has a new hairdo, a pair of sunglasses and has shaved his mustache (as it was in 'SSS' that a husband would not recognize his wife just because she has covered half of her face).After two decades, SRK has finally learned to harness his over the top antics and started giving understated performances. Fortunately for him, his last three movies - Don, OSO and RNBDJ have given him chance to do two characters  one over the top and one subdued. He has taken advantage of all and actually got better with each movie. Anoushka is very impressive and Vinay Pathak is emerging as a deserving member of a very impressive group of supporting actors of Bollywood which includes likes of AnupamKher and Boman Irani. He will be considered one among them pretty soon. All technical departments are adequate if not great. Overall a decent experience.