‘Teen Thay Bhai’ is a rare example of big screen adaptation of an acclaimed play gone wrong, assuming we don’t consider Action Replay as an adaptation of some play but a cheap rip off of Back to the Future. Based on a stage play ‘Mad Madder Maddest’ originally written by the scriptwriters of the movie themselves, it’s a story of 3 brothers who can’t stand each other for a second but have been left a strange will by their grandfather that forces them to stay together for a single day every year in his secluded house in the snowy hills for 3 consecutive years. The movie starts with the 3 brothers fighting a thunderstorm to reach the house on the hill to spend the 3rd & final day so that they can lay claim to the property left by their grandfather. The 3 brothers played by Om Puri (Chiksy Gill), Deepak Dobriyal (Happy Gill) and Shreyas Talpade (Fancy Gill) have a struggle of a life of their own, with each one desperate to get some money that is left behind. Chiksy has 3 overweight daughters to marry off and a nagging wife to deal with, while Happy is a dentist who has only one answer for all his patients – shifting pain. Fancy is a struggling wannabe Hollywood actor acting in Punjabi films and speaks almost through the entire movie in a hangover of Javed Jaffrey’s character form Salaam Namaste. All 3 characters as the names suggest are hilarious, with each actor getting into the skin of them effortlessly; obviously if you have actors as good as these that is the least you expect. The setting looks largely like a stage and takes away the ‘cinema’ experience at the start itself. The first half mostly works in establishing the struggles each of them face and their first interaction when they meet at the deserted house in the snowstorm. Some moments are actually funny and would appeal more if you understand a bit of Punjabi or have met the loud Punjabi uncles, if not then you can simply watch Om Puri and satisfy yourself.
The problem however lies in the second half. It looks as if the movie has simply stopped and you are watching the repeat jokes of first half again, giving ample hints that the scriptwriters didn’t know what to do now. Thought I haven’t seen the play it’s based on, but going by the movie it looks as if the entire play mostly consisted of the first half where the entire setting was in the deserted house but as soon as the script moves out of the house in the second half, the plot is lost and the adaptation goes for a toss. There are a couple of moments in between when you feel for the characters when they discuss their differences and the source of hatred for each other but they simply fail to lift the second half. Yograj Singh (yes, Mr. World Cup Yuvraj Singh’s father) plays the one-eyed grandfather who appears in flashbacks, while Ragini Khanna (Govinda’s niece) also does a cameo as Dipak Dobriyal’s love interest. Both look fit for the role and do a commendable job in probably their first appearance in a Hindi movie.
The music by Ranjit Barot & Sukhwinder Singh is good and the Daler Mehndi track is really catchy. In terms of performances, all 3 put in their best and try and lift the movie on their own with their comic timing. Deepak Dobriyal again proves his acting prowess after Tanu Weds Manu while Shreyas Talpade actually does a good job of the little Punjabi that he tries. Om Puri is a natural as the loud Punjabi uncle. Direction could have been much better especially the second half but I think it is the script which is a big letdown. The plot had a lot of scope and could have been exploited greatly to keep the audience engaged but it just doesn’t move beyond initial setting and you know from the start itself where the movie is gonna end.
My Rating - 5/10
(Script - 3/10; Direction – 3/10; Performance – 9/10; Entertainment - 4/10; Music – 6/10)
(Script - 3/10; Direction – 3/10; Performance – 9/10; Entertainment - 4/10; Music – 6/10)
Starring: Om Puri (Ardh Satya, Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro), Deepak Dobriyal (Tanu Weds Manu, Omkara), Shreyas Talpade (Iqbal, Dor), Ragini Khanna, Yograj Singh
Director: MrigDeep Singh Lamba
Producer: Rakeysh Om Prakash Mehra (Delhi 6, Rang De Basanti)
Writer: Gautam Mehra, Mehul Suri
Music: Ranjit Barot (Aks, Fiza), Sukhwinder Singh (Iqbal, Black & White)
