Runtime:- 1 hour 42 minutes
Ghoomketu Cast:- Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Ila Arun, Brijendra Kala, Anurag Kashyap, Raghuvir Yadav
Directed By:- Pushpendra Nath Misra
Rating:- 2.5/5
You’ve enjoyed watching Nawazuddin Siddiqui in all his Grim Ganesh Gaitonde glory! Now get ready to giggle at his comic avatar – The Goofy Ghoomketu!
30 Din Ka Khel
Produced by Phantom Films and Sony Pictures, Ghoomketu shows the quirky behind-the-scenes of an aspiring writer’s journey into Bollywood. Hailing from Mahona (UP), our Ghoomketu (Nawazuddin Siddiqui) is told off by Editor Joshi (Brijendra Kala) that he should ghissao his jute first before trying his hand at writing. Because….Struggle hai toh story hai!
Of course then, like a quintessential 70s protagonist, aankhon mai sapne liye Ghoomketu embarks on his grand ish-struggle! Lugging a huge trunk stuffed sentimentally with a big, fat Family Photo Album and a handy guide on ‘How To Be A Bollywood Writer In 30 Days’, he runs away from home to try his luck in Bambai ka Bollywood. Determined to prove that he has what it takes, he gives himself 30 days to make it or break it.
Ganesh Gaitonde @ Ghoomketu: 30 din hai ….bacha le apne writing career ko!
Except the scripts that he ends up pitching to producers…..are hilariously terrible.
Juxtaposed with Ghoomketu is Anurag Kashyap’s Inspector Badlani, a cop ‘Jo bohot ghus leta hai’, who has never-solved-any-case in 15 years! Tasked with finding the runaway Ghoomketu within 30 days or be transferred on a punishment posting, this lazy cop finally has to set his ass on a Tom and Jerry chase.
Ghoomketu also boasts of an eclectic mix of characters; A sweet Burpy Bua (Ila Arun), a red-faced, Grumpy Head of the family Dadda (Raghuvir Yadav) whose constant screaming will have you worried for his blood pressure, a poor, over-weight ghunghat mai chupi wife Janki Devi (Ragini Khanna) and a love-lorn lover turned politician Guddan Chacha (Swanand Kirkire)!
What Works
Ila Arun steals the show for being a pure, wholesome and supportive cutie! Her scenes with Nawaz are heart-warming and form the soul of the movie. While Brijendra – Nawaz chemistry nails the comedy. Like a dog chasing its own tail, Anurag’s and Nawaz’s unknowing tiptoeing around each other induces some chuckles.
While the writing talent of Nawaz’s Ghoomketu seems debatable, he makes for a quirky enough subject himself. Liberally sprinkled with whimsical anecdotes as he explores different genres from melodrama, sci-fi to horror and romance , with almost parody-like movie-within-movie montage backing the tale, his writer’s journey in Bollywood is entertaining!
With fun cameos starring, Amitabh Bachchan, Sonakshi SInha, Ranveer Singh and Chitrangada Singh, Ghoomketu indeed does flaunt an impressive cast!
What Doesn’t
However, there is only so much commendable actors can do to elevate a script. Despite their best efforts, the flow is a little weird and disjointed at times, and the feel of the film might have worked for the audience back in 2014 (when it was initially completed) but in 2020 the comedy has lost some of its punch.
A Big Nope factor – The fat-shaming of Ghoomketu’s over-weight wife, Janki Devi, is done in poor taste. Anurag Kashyap as the corrupt cop has a barely there, lazy role. Also, the item number by Lauren Gottlieb feels misplaced and is entirely forgettable.
The spoof is definitely a little…..poof in places! Ghoomketu starts off well in all its goofy earnestness and even ends on a rather solid note (Amitabh Bachchan cameo does its charm *wink*). It’s the middle that will leave you wanting for some more substance.
The Music Box
The soundtrack by Sneha Khanwalkar and Jasleen Royal is pleasing and works well with the film. We have to give some Bonus Points for the gorgeous animated song, ‘Aangan Ke Chhote Taare’! It’ll leave your inner child feeling all wistful.
Hit or Miss?
All in all, the film has its heart in the right place. So, if you’re bored with your work from home and craving some light-hearted content, grab some popcorn or nachos and settle down for this fluffy binge. Ek baar toh dekh hi sakte ho.
The film was completed back in 2014 itself but struggled to find ideal distributors and hence its release was delayed considerably. However, amidst the global Corona virus pandemic, it has opted for a digital release. Ghoomketu is available for streaming on Zee5.