Oh Darling Yeh Hai India

Shah Rukh Khan (SRK) and Deepa Sahi play mango (aam) couple who save India from getting sold off in a live auction organised by a fake President of India.

With a plot as bizzare as this, Oh Darling Yeh Hai India had no chance at the box office when it released way back in 1995. I had seen the film at Bandra's Gemini cinema and was probably amongst the very few who found it fun!!

Conceived by Deepa Sahi, Oh Darling..'s satirical tone and sarcastic humour is unique in its own way. The entire film occurs in single night and we actually get to see the sunlight only in the ending scene. Director Ketan Mehta tried to structure the narrative like a musical so you had a song practically every five minutes specially in the first half. Ranjit Barot's tunes were peppy and the title song and the 'Baap re baap' number became quite popular.

Of the cast, SRK was brilliant as the nameless struggler while Javed Jaffrey was rocking as the son of Don. Deepa Sahi was equally impressive playing a prostitute who wants to let her hair down the whole night. Her chemistry with SRK was just as sizzling as it was in Maya Memsaab (though admittedly, she looked older than him on screen).

The highlight of the film ofcourse, was the late Amrish Puri playing Don Quixote.

"Gazab Khopdi Don Kihote" was his catchphrase. Oh Darling...was just as Ajab and Gazab as that character!!