Hero No. 1
1997 · Directed by David Dhawan
Original language: Hindi
- drama
- comedy
- romance
The story
Rajesh and Meena fall in love and want to get married. But Meena's grandfather rejects Rajesh without seeing him because of a terrible encounter with Rajesh's father. Rajesh pretends to be a servant and finds employment in Meena's house to try and win her family over.
What it’s like
Bright, saturated studio colour, sunlit havelis and bustling family courtyards, and frequent bursts of song and dance with brass, dhol beats and sweeping orchestral swells. The camera moves loudly and often, with quick cuts, mugging close-ups and broad physical comedy staged for maximum reaction. The vibe is cheerful, boisterous and warm, a sprawling family comedy-musical that plays like a Sunday afternoon in a crowded household: lively, silly and easy to dip in and out of. Rajesh, a young man who poses as a servant to win over his beloved's wary family, carries the story through mistaken identities, pratfalls and comic misunderstandings, while the romance stays sweet and the family relationships soften by degrees. Intensity is low: slapstick scuffles and playful tussles, no gore, no real menace, and romance kept chaste with lingering glances and song sequences. It suits background viewing with a crowd, a light weekend, or anyone who wants big-hearted Bollywood fun without darkness.
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