Rarely do we come across a film like “Sharmaji Namkeen.” Available on Amazon Prime, the 2022 Hindi-language comedy drama has two different actors playing the titular role of Sharma ji. Unfortunately, the decision to feature two actors interchangeably in the lead role was not creative experimentation. The sad demise of actor Rishi Kapoor in April 2020, when the shooting was only half complete, forced the filmmakers into this bold experiment.
Brij Gopal Sharma (Rishi Kapoor/Paresh Rawal) is given voluntary retirement by his company, much to his displeasure. A workaholic all his life, now the 58-year-old middle-class widower from West Delhi does not have anything useful to do and as energetic as he is, the first few months of retirement drive him near-crazy. His sons—the elder Rinku (Suhail Nayyar) and younger Vincy (Taaruk Raina)—live with him but are of no help when it comes to finding something for him to do all day.
After having tried a few antics to get back into action, Sharma’s close friend Chaddha (Satish Kaushki) gets him a gig as a ‘specialist cook’ for a kitty party. Having cooked for himself and his sons all his life, Sharma’s first attempt as a professional cook impresses the women in the party, and they start hiring him on a regular basis. Sharma also becomes friends with the ladies, special Veena Manchanda (Juhi Chawla), a recently-widowed boutique owner.
Sharma is having the time of his life experimenting with cooking and enjoying himself in the process, without letting either of his sons know about his new venture as a home chef. How long Sharma ji hides this secret from his family and what happens when they find out makes up the rest of the film.
Sharmaji Namkeen’s storyline is simple and organic. There are no dramatic conflicts and plot twists of regular Bollywood movies. The film opens and closes in feel-good notes and everything we see in between are relatable and enjoyable. The setting and the characters of Sharmaji Namkeen are the products of thoughtful writing that do not go overboard at any time.
Had Sharmaji Namkeen not had a backstory of its own, it wouldn’t have been as poignant to watch though. This has less to do with the filmmakers and more with the loss of Bollywood’s iconic actor Rishi Kapoor. Coming from the grand family of Kapoors, Rishi Kapoor was one of its most successful among them. Having watched most of his movies and applauded his acting over the years, watching Sharmaji Namkeen as his last ever appearance was kind of unpleasant.
But staying true to his family’s motto of “the show must go on,” Kapoor does perform in Sharmaji Namkeen like he knew it was his last film. He is so comfortable with the character of Sharmaji that it feels like he has been preparing for it for years. As the happy-go-lucky Sharmaji, Kapoor oozes with energy and positivity.
While Kapoor embodies Sharmaji with natural elegance, Paresh Rawal had an even bigger challenge. After Kapoor’s untimely demise in the middle of production, his close friend Rawal was roped in to complete the film. And it’s not like he had to appear somewhere in the climax for a couple of scenes. Rawal in fact gets almost as much screen time as Kapoor.
The senior actor with decades of experience playing all kinds of roles fills in Kapoor’s big shoes just right. Rawal matches Kapoor’s skill and energy without trying to overshadow any of the scenes performed by the late actor. I would like to call this a tag team wrestling match where the combo of Kapoor and Rawal beat all odds.
Who should watch it?
Sharmaji Namkeen is the last Rishi Kapoor film. If you have any attachment with the Kapoor family or Bollywood, you’ll probably watch this or have already done so. If not, this is a wholesome movie you can enjoy with your family and friends or absolutely alone too. It is basically 119 minutes of good writing, direction and acting.
Rating: 4 stars
On Amazon Prime
Genre: Comedy/drama
Actors: Rishi Kapoor, Paresh Rawal, Juhi Chawla
Director: Hitesh Bhatia
Run time: 1hr 59mins
