Bunty Aur Babli

<p>Rakesh Trivedi, a young man from the small village of Fursatganj, dreams of achieving great success and is constantly devising new business ideas. His father, a railway ticket collector, wants him to pursue a stable government job, but Rakesh is determined to escape a conventional life. After being given an ultimatum by his father, he leaves home to pursue his ambitions. In another village, Pankinagar, Vimmi Saluja aspires to become and dreams of a glamorous life, despite her parents arranging her marriage to a conventional suitor. Rejecting their plans, she also runs away from home. Rakesh and Vimmi meet at a railway station and quickly bond over their shared aspirations. They attempt to pursue their dreams in separate ways—Rakesh by pitching business ideas, and Vimmi by entering the Miss India pageant—but both face exploitation and rejection. After being deceived by a businessman who steals Rakesh’s idea, the duo con him in retaliation. Realizing the potential of con artistry, they adopt the aliases “Bunty” and “Babli” and begin executing elaborate scams across the country. Disguising themselves as religious leaders, bureaucrats, investors, and tour guides, they carry out a series of flamboyant cons that capture nationwide attention. As their notoriety grows, so does their relationship, and they eventually marry. Their exploits attract the attention of JCP Dashrath Singh, a stern police officer committed to capturing them. As Singh closes in, Bunty and Babli decide to abandon their criminal lifestyle for the sake of their newborn child. However, Singh eventually catches them. Moved by their genuine remorse and their desire to reform, he releases them, believing their criminal lives to be over. Three years later, Singh offers them a second chance—as government operatives working to uncover and stop other con artists, giving their skills a new purpose in service of the law. was produced by under the banner and directed by . The screenplay was written by , based on an original story by Chopra. The narrative was loosely inspired by the 1967 American film , though adapted into a distinctly Indian setting, combining crime and comedy through the journey of two small-town dreamers who become notorious con artists.[1] To portray the spirited character of Rakesh “Bunty” Trivedi, underwent a significant physical transformation, reportedly losing around 12 kilograms. The first choice for the role of Bunty was . However, after he rejected the offer, Abhishek Bachchan was cast. Abhishek Bachchan and were cast in the lead roles as Bunty and Babli, respectively. joined the cast as JCP Dashrath Singh, a police officer determined to catch the duo. This marked the first time the father-son duo, Amitabh and Abhishek Bachchan, appeared together on screen. created an iconic look for Mukerji, outfitting her character in vibrant short and . The bold and colorful styling not only matched Babli’s vivacious personality but also sparked a major fashion trend across India following the film’s release. was conducted across several Indian cities including , where scenes were shot at Thaggu Ke Laddu, Bada Chauraha, and the . provided spiritual and cultural texture, with sequences shot at Nandeshwar Ghat. served as a romantic backdrop with the featured in key scenes, while additional scenes were filmed at . emerged as a major commercial success. Released on 27 May 2005, the film grossed approximately ₹904 million (US$11 million) worldwide, making it the , behind . It performed strongly in both domestic and international markets, with the popular soundtrack and the hit song ” ” contributing to its box office appeal. The film also enjoyed sustained popularity through television broadcasts and home media. received generally positive reviews from critics, who praised its energetic performances, witty script, music, and vibrant styling. of described as “perfect as Bunty” and noted ‘s ease in playing to the gallery. She also lauded ’s performance and the widely appreciated item number “ .” of called the film “a delicious dessert” and praised its blend of (1967) and (2002), noting that the film “wouldn’t be the same without Abhishek and Mukerji’s enthusiastic performances.” of said the film “totally banks on charm” and succeeds due to its colorful characters and charismatic leads. Avijit Ghosh of praised the film’s portrayal of “splintered yearnings of small-town India,” calling it an ambitious and largely successful effort. not only made an impact at the box office but also left a significant cultural imprint. The stylized portrayal of con artists inspired several real-life criminal cases across India, where individuals cited the film as an influence on their methods. One notable incident involved Sushant and Kajal, a married couple from , who used a photo frame scam to defraud businesses and explicitly referenced the film when caught. Another couple, Suresh and Rekha, mirrored the film’s tactics in their fraudulent activities and admitted to drawing inspiration from the characters. In yet another case, Shahnaaz Bano and her brother-in-law Sajid Ahmed were arrested for using disguises to shoplift and smuggle luxury items, echoing Bunty and Babli’s methods. The soundtrack for was composed by the musical trio , with lyrics by and . It was released on 15 April 2005 under the Yash Raj Music label. Initially, was approached to compose the music, having previously collaborated with director on (2002), but he declined due to scheduling conflicts. The album featured energetic dance numbers and romantic tracks, performed onscreen by lead actors and . The song ” “, featuring in a special appearance alongside the Bachchans, became a major hit and was especially praised for its choreography and visual appeal. According to , the soundtrack sold approximately 1.9 million units, making it the second highest-selling Hindi film album of 2005. Lyrics by except where noted. The music of received widespread acclaim from critics, who praised its originality, energy, and lyrical composition. of described the album as “over-the-top, uninhibited, rustic and teasing,” calling it “one helluva musical masala.” Joginder Tuteja of noted the departure from traditional Yash Raj musical stylings, writing, “ does not contain your routine genre of music choreographed around the meadows and . They are more of situational rhythmic tracks that take a story forward.” highlighted the contribution of lyricist , noting, “Throughout this zany, zingy and zippy album, the 70-year-old Gulzar imbues a youthfulness that comes from being young at heart… You can’t miss its zest for life or its lunge towards a luscious nirvana obtained from looking at life through rose-tinted glasses.” In December 2019, announced a sequel titled , directed by Varun V. Sharma and produced by . The film starred and as the original Bunty and Babli, alongside and debutante as a new con duo. Initially scheduled for release on 26 June 2020, the film was delayed due to the and was eventually released theatrically on 19 November 2021. Although set 16 years after the events of the original, the character of Bunty was portrayed by Khan, replacing . Upon release, the sequel received mostly negative reviews from critics and underperformed at the box office. ’s performance in has been cited as one of the most notable of her career. Her portrayal of Babli became widely popular, and the character was later named by as one of Bollywood’s most beloved characters. The on-screen pairing of Mukerji and Abhishek Bachchan was also recognized by , which listed them among the top 10 best romantic couples of the decade. The film’s soundtrack enjoyed widespread popularity, with songs like “ ” becoming major chart-toppers. The song was voted as the best song of 2005 by listeners of three South African Indian radio stations. The film’s influence extended internationally; Japanese manga artist , creator of , embedded the video for “Dhadak Dhadak” on his blog, leading to a surge of fan interest in the track. was remade in Telugu as in 2008, starring , , and . In 2013, placed the film at number 63 in its list of “The 100 Best Bollywood Movies.”</p>