Review: 'Teecha Baap Tyacha Baap ' is fun while it lasts, nothing memorable

Film: Teecha Baap Tyacha Baap (U)
Director: Atul Kale
Cast: Abhishek Sethiya, Mrinmayee Godbole, Sachin Pilgaonkar, Arun Nalawade, Makarand Anaspure
Rating: **1/2

A Marathi film whose title shows that ray of entertaining promise is always a welcome change. Weighed down by bulk Hindi releases in the recent weeks, Marathi cinema had taken a back seat with Moraya being the last release worth a watch.

With Sachin Pilgaonkar playing one of the baaps, Makarand Anaspure and Arun Nalawade among the better known talents, Teecha Baap Tyacha Baap promises a fun-filled ride.

A typical boy-meets-girl, they-fall-in-love story, TBTB director Atul Kale introduces his characters at the onset. Young and lively Neil (Abhishek) is a chef, living as a paying guest in Mumbai. His life changes after Monica (Mrinmayee) comes to live in the same house. The drama, predictable right from the start, unfolds when the families meet.

While Monica’s father Vikrant Deshmukh (Arun) is a discipline-loving, control freak, Neil’s dad Shashi Phatarphekar (Sachin) is the susegad Goan, living life to the fullest. Will the two ever get along? Will their love-bird kids have to bear the brunt of their dads’ differences? You know the answers already. But never mind.

Even though TBTB does not promise a rib-tickling time, it does offer momentary entertainment that can be largely credited to Makarand Anaspure's acting and comic timing. As Aaburao Tanaji Shringarpure he tends to go overboard and yet manage to elicit genuine laughs every now and then.

Individually, newcomers Abhishek and Mrinmayee make a commendable debut, but the chemistry is sorely missing. Besides, Abhishek looks much younger than his love interest in the film. The baaps are the heroes here and they play their parts well, so do the mothers and a girl called Canada. Something you despise every time it comes on screen is the annoying spy duo Chandru and Indru. They ham and how. And yes, out-of-work Hindi film hero Vivek Oberoi makes a cameo, a not very impressive one.

Director Atul Kale keeps running to a big bag of stereotypes story/dialogue writer Guru Thakur places before him, purposely or inadvertently, passing comments that are likely to dishevel some cultural sentiments. By conveniently forgetting the builder track introduced with Sachin’s entry, the filmmakers lose that one chance they could explore to weave engaging twists into this comic caper. The editing, too, is abrupt at many points, with many scenes wearing a washed-out look.

All may not be well with TBTB, but being spoilt for choice is not an option for Marathi cinema-goers. Watch it for the fun it is while it lasts, nothing more, nothing less.