Directed by: Kedar Shinde
Producer by: Ramesh S Taurani
Starring: Tabu, Sharman Joshi, Uvika Chaudhary
Music Dir: Pritam Chakraborty
[Watch Songs]



It’s been a long time but finally Bollywood has delivered not just a good comedy but one that’s also a family movie this Friday, Feb 19, 2010. Another important thing is that the movie stages a comeback for one of Bollywood’s very choosy and a creative actress, Tabu. Well, put two together and ‘Toh Baat Pakki’ is a sure watch for the audience, especially families.




The theme of this movie is universal inasmuch as it concerns every grown up person and each family. In this movie, Tabu opts for a light-hearted comic role in a film that's cast in the mould of the middle-of-the-road comedies that made the 80's cinema so winsome and breezy. Pitched somewhere between realism and drama, the film somewhat recreates that genteel era when cinema talked about flesh and blood people who didn't scream, holler and howl revenge. More importantly, their concerns were commonplace, like finding a suitable boy/girl and stealing a few romantic moments behind the back of meddlesome mums, family and relatives.

Just to remember, think of ‘Khoobsoorat’, ‘Golmal’, ‘Baton Baton Mein’ and the like. Well, though old timers may not call ‘Toh Baat Pakki’ riveting as the 80s entertainers. Nonetheless, the movie does bring up nostalgia a whole lot. What sets it apart is that it is not a high decibel, larger-than-life drama. Tabu's plays a talkative, inquisitive, control freak ‘Rajeshwari’ who is hell bent on finding the right match for her sister.

She is charming, adorable and totally watchable. Another interesting and likeable element in the story and the movie is the depiction of Rajeshwari as a small town character and Tabu displays it impeccably with an almost perfected art of the small town conversation, being totally involved in the goings-on in the life of her entire town.

The twist comes when she hears of her neighbour's singleton tenant -- engineering college student, Sharman Joshi. Well, on course with her lookout for a groom for her sister, Tabu sets out to lure him to her house and tries to entrap him. She achieves it magically and the two quite quickly fall in love. Though, and shockingly equally quickly, the movie reveals that Tabu’s sister selects another dashing groom, Vatsal Seth, who happens to be RICH.

Caution! Don’t expect a fast-moving slick flick. Expectedly for a family Bollywood picture, ‘Toh Baat Pakki’ is laidback and moves at its own pace. But, the idea is to sit back, relax, gather some laughs, and the film ends up being engaging. This one is a winner for Tabu. A tall lissome Tabu delivers a real entertainer. Sharman seems to be on a roll continuing from a good performance in ‘3 Idiots’. Vatsal impresses with his performance in the movie. Uvika too delivers a good role. Himani Shivpuri and Ayub Khan are fine. Director Kedarh Shinde, a well known Marathi director, makes a mark with this one.