Joroo Ka Ghulam (2000)
Starring: Govinda, Twinkle Khanna, Kader Khan, Johnny Lever
Director: Shakeel Noorani
Synopsis: Pretty pathetic attempt at yet another farcical comedy caper for Govinda
Reviewed by: Ali Khan

 

 

Following on from the lukewarm success of Hadh Kar Di Aapne, Govinda returns with Joru Ka Ghulam, yet another comedy. Unfortunately, if he hoped this would provide the major hit his career badly needed, he was destined for disappointment.

The film revolves around a trio of small-time con artists—Govinda, Johnny Lever and Ashok Saraf. During one of their scams, Govinda steals the luggage of an NRI returning to India, only to be mistaken by the wealthy businessman (Kader Khan) expecting to meet his prospective son-in-law. By sheer good fortune, Govinda suddenly finds himself living in the home of a rich industrialist.

The original plan is simple: rob the businessman and disappear. Matters become rather more complicated when Kader Khan reveals that each of his sons-in-law will receive Rs. 5 crores upon marrying one of his daughters, all of whom, for one reason or another, are fiercely opposed to marriage.

The stage is now set for Govinda to woo Twinkle Khanna while simultaneously attempting to pair off her three sisters, all the while plotting to walk away with the money. It sounds suitably farcical and appears to offer ample opportunity for Govinda to indulge his comic antics, but sadly the result is an awful mess.

Govinda is in danger of going the Robin Williams route. Directors seem to believe that all they need do is cast Govinda, hand him virtually any script and expect him to work miracles. The reality is rather different. While Govinda remains virtually unmatched when it comes to comic timing, a bad film remains a bad film, and there is simply no disguising that fact in Joru Ka Ghulam. Despite bringing the same infectious enthusiasm to his role that he displayed some fifteen years earlier, there is very little here capable of rescuing the film.

Johnny Lever, playing Govinda's sidekick, also appears to be becoming a victim of his own success. Here he is given far too much screen time for his comedy to remain consistently funny. With Ashok Saraf also in the mix, the film suffers from an overdose of comedy which, instead of becoming funnier, simply grows repetitive and monotonous.

Twinkle Khanna, despite her illustrious parentage—Rajesh Khanna and Dimple Kapadia—continues to display little of either parent's natural talent or screen charisma. Having said that, this is one of her better performances and she is noticeably less irritating than she has been in some of her earlier films.

Kader Khan, meanwhile, clucks around like a mother hen and, as is so often the case, walks away with the film's best punchline.

Overall, Joru Ka Ghulam is a major disappointment and a struggle to sit through even for committed Govinda fans. There are, however, a couple of lively musical numbers—particularly the title song and "Oopar Pan Ki Dukaan"—and, as always, Govinda performs them with a panache and energy that the film itself scarcely deserves.

Oh... and if there is one genuinely funny thing about the film, it's the name: P. K. Girpade.