all about walking english ... namak halaal: the prakash mehra pattern

Caught Namak Halaal (again!) yesterday evening. The film is still fun, despite it's strict adherence to the entertainment formula of the 80s (complete with some rather tame innuendo). Since I caught Sharaabi (which was made a few years later) only a couple of days ago, the similarities between the two movies are rather clear:

* There are a lot of common members in the cast: The Big B (needless to say), Om Prakash. Smita Patil (who had a special appearance in Sharaabi) made her big commercial splash (no pun intended) with this film, complete with a helluva rain song.

* The 13^th seems to have had a lot of impact on the plots of the two films (which were probably written around the same time). In Sharaabi, it's Vicky (Big B)'s birthday and sets the stage for the wonderful i.ntehaa.N ho gayii. In Namak Halaal, it's Raja (Shashi)'s birthday. Both characters refer to it as being a manahuus din too.

* There's a bus stop and a song to go with it in both films (Jahaa.N chaar yaar in Sharaabi and aaj rapat jaa_e.N in Namak Halaal). There are lots of posters in the NH song too, although the only one I caught this time was Kati Patang

See also: Bollybob's review of the film