PK: Why watching Rajkumar Hirani's films are never a 'Bhaste Of Time'
Rajkumar Hirani's every film has a socially relevant message yet it is told in a feel good, comical and entertaining manner and doesn't seem preachy at all. After all, who comes to the theatre to get preached.
What is common between 'Jaadu Ki Jhappi', 'Gandhigiri' and 'All Is Well'? All of these phrases were used in films and became so popular that we have used them in our daily lives many times. Latest to add in the list can be 'Wrong Number'. There is one more and most important thread between all of these words - Rajkumar Hirani.
The man behind Munnabhai MBBS, Lage Raho Munnabhai, 3 Idiots and now PK. You can rank his films in whatever order you can but even his lowest ranked film would be better than many Bollywood blockbusters. Hirani has the ability to show mirror to the society but he weaves it in such an entertaining way that it can never (barring few who get offended with each and everything in the world) offend anyone.
His every film has a socially relevant message yet it is told in a feel good, comical and entertaining manner and doesn't seem preachy at all. After all, who comes to the theatre to get preached. Especially in the times when everyone thinks they know it all.
Rajkumar Hirani manages to hit the right chord every-time, be it in Munnabhai MBBS when a local goon gets into a medical college and points out all that is wrong in the strictly professional, no emotions attached way of treating patients and shows us how magical a simple hug at times can be. Or when he shows how long forgotten Gandhian principles are timeless in this age too. Who would have thought of learning Gandhi ways through a goon who knew only one way of sorting a situation - violence. Or focusing on Indian educational system and the pressure that parents put on their children in the most hilarious as well as emotional way.
Yes, you may think that at times his story overlooks logic and seems a bit unreal or overstated but then do you really care when you laugh and cry through the film and still take home a message to ponder on. And talking about logic, almost all the 'biggest blockbusters' nowadays anyways give a damn about it.
Talking about Rajkumar's latest offering PK, a film that interprets religion and beliefs, through an outsider's eyes. PK, an alien, is like a child who tries to understand the ways of world. A normal child has parents or people around him or her to tell about the world, god, religion etc and thus what he or she understands is mainly what people around him believe in. But PK is on his own, so as an outsider what he understands about God, religion makes the film what it is - purely entertaining and at the same time it raises few important and right questions.
The film doesn't completely deny existence of God, for PK God is a belief that gives him hope but anything other than that is a charade created by human beings.
Rajkumar Hirani knows very well how to prove his point in a way that neither sounds preachy nor seems forced. He is a master of his craft but let's not forget Abhijat Joshi, who is also the man behind the screenplay of Lage Raho Munnabhai, 3 Idiots and now PK.
Let's hope Hirani-Abhijat Joshi give us many more such films and characters that are so lovable be it Munna or Rancho or our alien PK. After all watching Rajkumar Hirani's film can never be a Bhaste Of Time!