Number 16: Humshakals (2014)
Interesting thing about this one.
When I first downloaded The List this one was simply titled
‘Doublegangers’. I have to track these films down so I can watch them and a
title like that will bring up some, interesting results. And not ones I
particularly want on my search history.
Luckily, this isn’t a Premier League footballer’s favourite
fetish movie but actually a more innocent Bollywood movie about lookalikes, which
presumably should have been ‘Doppelgangers’ but was mistranslated to a more
suggestive title.
I almost wish it was a porno as at least that would be
easier to explain and this one makes my head spin just thinking about it.
Primarily set in London, there’s billionaire Ashok (Saif Ali
Khan) aided by his best friend Kumar (Ritesh Deshmukh) who dreams of being a
stand-up comedian. Unfortunately, he sucks. I think I’ve spotted one of his
problems though, he’s telling jokes in Hindi to a mainly white, British audience. British people won't even learn French, no way will they learn an Indian language fluently to the point of understanding set-up and punchline.
He has a problem though in the form of his Uncle Kans who
wants to take over the family business so creates a drug that makes Ashok and
Kumar temporarily think they’re dogs. Just go with it. This gets them put in a
mental hospital and allows Kans to take control of the business. If you’re
hoping this plays out like One Flew Over
the Cuckoo’s Nest, you will be sorely disappointed.
This is where it gets complicated, two genuine loons are
also in the hospital who look identical (well they should, they are the same
actors) and are also called Ashok and Kumar. Thanks to a mix-up so obvious they
might as well have put a massive sign saying ‘IDENTITY CONFUSION HAPPENS NOW’
as the loons are released with the real Ashok and Kumar staying in the
hospital. In a sense, they done exactly that with a snippet of song saying that’s
exactly what happens.
The loons are picked up and brought to the real Ashok’s
mansion, which they think is all part of a popular reality show where ordinary
people are allowed to live like millionaires for a week. Trust me, it makes sense in the film. Sort of.
The real Ashok and Kumar meanwhile are trying to deal with
the hospital warden, who is really subtly portrayed as being a cruel,
dictator figure. Not really, they put him in an SS uniform and he refers to
Adolf Hitler as ‘Uncle’. Yes, he really does.
They do find out their Uncle Kans is responsible for their
incarceration but more incredibly, there is a lookalike of their Uncle in the
hospital too.
And this is where I tune out. Various schemes
are planned up to regain control of the company, lots of identity confusion
where it’s hard to keep tabs of who is the real one and who is the duplicate. A
third set of duplicates are added (triplicates?) because two sets of each
character wasn’t enough. There’s a Prince Charles lookalike. Except it’s the
real Prince Charles. If he was a cockney.
It all works out in the end.
I’ve tried to condense this down to just the key
plot points but there is so much going on here. I haven’t mentioned the trio of
beautiful ladies who are the love interests of the film, the drug dealer
responsible for loony Ashok and Kumar being put in the asylum to begin with,
one of the lookalikes severe OCD issues. I haven’t mentioned any of the “hilarious”
scenes the director Sajid Khan (whom from what I can tell has a reputation for
being a bit of a hack) thought would sell the movie. The warden’s torture
method of making inmates watch Himmatwala…hey,
hey, hey, hey! No spoilers! That one’s for later.
The music videos are actually a welcome break in this film,
they gave me a chance to sort out what was happening in the film in my head.
Though one of the songs as far as I can tell was all about creating a personal
ring tone. Deep stuff.
I need to stop now. My head hurts thinking about it all. So
many questions of identity. I mean, am I really me?
I don’t know anymore.
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