Sharmaji Namkeen movie review: Bitter-sweet entertainer that celebrates late Rishi Kapoor's charming persona

Director: Hitesh Bhatia

Star cast: Rishi Kapoor, Paresh Rawal, Juhi Chawla, Satish Kaushik, Suhail Nayyar and others

Music: Sneha Khanwalkar

Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video

Run Time: 119 minutes 

Rating: 3.5 stars 

Synopsis: Sharmaji Namkeen revolves around Brij Gopal Sharma (Rishi Kapoor and Paresh Rawal), who is trying to keep himself motivated after retirement. To deal with the post-retirement crises, Sharma plans to take his love for cooking to a professional level. But different challenges await Sharmaji, and he goes through an emotional ride of his life. 

Sharmaji Namkeen movie review: 

Before we start analysing the movie, one must acknowledge the intention of completing the final cinema outing of Bollywood's beloved Chintuji (Rishi Kapoor). A charismatic performer who has charmed generations, and he was someone who lived life to the fullest. Sharmaji Namkeen is a perfect ode to Kapoor and this feel-good cinema is a fun-filled, emotional rollercoaster ride for the family.

The movie starts with a farewell ceremony in a home appliances company, and Brij gets officially retired from his services. However, he looks unhappy with his voluntary retirement, and he could foresee the boredom and life after retirement. A few months later, Brij adjusts his life by cooking food for his two sons and would try to binge on some daily soaps. Brij's best friend KK Chadha (Satish Kaushik) keeps motivating him to strive, and one day he gives him the opportunity of a lifetime. Chaddha asks Brij to cook for his relative's friend's kittie party, and that's where Sharmaji finds a new ray of hope in his life. 

The story and screenplay of the film are real, relatable and it touches you from the first frame itself. Every member of the audience would find his or her reflection in these characters. The emotional void parents feel in their 50s is brilliantly narrated through the screenplay. Similarly, the rebellious young minds, who desire to live life on their own terms have been displayed with a true sense of realism. 

Talking about performance, late actor Rishi Kapoor owns every frame of the film. Whenever he comes on screen, you are smitten by his jolly nature, you feel his emotional restlessness and adore his sweet child-like innocence. Sharmaji Namkeen is a tailor-made film for Kapoor, justifying his captivating persona. However, special mention goes to Paresh Rawal, as he carried the film forward with the same zeel, and completed Sharmaji's journey with a satisfying closure. Apart from these two, Juhi Chawla as Veena Manchanda was a treat to watch. Her scenes with Rishi will remind you about the natural chemistry they share, and how they charmed the screen with Bol Radha Bol. Satish Kaushik plays the character of Chaddha with honesty, and his well-timed comedy leaves you impressed. Moving forward, Suhail Nayyar plays the role of Sandeep Sharma (elder son of Brij) and makes a solid impression on-screen. There are many confrontational scenes of Sandeep and Brij, and Suhail holds onto the ground perfectly, especially when you have to face an ace performer like Rishi. Taaruk Raina plays the role of younger son Vincy, and he does a satisfactory job in limited screen space. Isha Talwar plays the love interest of Sandeep, and sadly, she doesn't get much scope to shine in the film. 

As I mentioned before, the story is relatable, and writers Hitesh Bhatia, Supratik Sen has done a fine job in contemplating a story that would resonate with everyone. Hitesh Bhatia deserves credit for completing this one-of-a-kind project. Sneha Khanwalkar's music is decent, and Gopal Dutt's lyrics are creatively funny and enduring. Sharmaji Namkeen has a decent first half, and the momentum picks up in the second half. There are moments that give an apt dose of romance, drama, and comedy.  There are some loopholes in the narrative, some question that is left unanswered. But as soon as the credits rolls, you will forget everything and will cherish the final outing of Rishi Kapoor. 

Sharmaji Namekeen final verdict: The film is a must-watch family entertainer that celebrates evergreen Rishi Kapoor. The film will touch your heart, as it sends out a strong message for different generations.