PHAS GAYE RE OBAMA (2010)

Summary:

Phas Gaye Re Obama is a satirical black comedy film that cleverly intertwines the global financial crisis of 2008 with the absurdities of small-town Indian crime. The story revolves around Om Shastri, an Indian-American who returns to his ancestral village in Uttar Pradesh, only to find himself in a precarious situation. Deeply in debt due to the economic downturn in the US, Om becomes the unwitting target of a bumbling local kidnapping gang led by the ambitious Bhaiyaji. The film takes a hilarious turn as Om struggles to convince his captors that he is, in fact, penniless, leading to a series of comical misunderstandings and a desperate attempt by the gang to extort money from his equally cash-strapped relatives in America.

Through its sharp wit and memorable characters, the movie brilliantly lampoons the universal impact of economic recession, the rural Indian perception of America, and the often-farcical nature of human greed and desperation. It's a tale of mistaken identity, financial woes, and the surprising bonds that form under extraordinary circumstances, delivering both laughter and a subtle social commentary on contemporary issues.

Keywords: Phas Gaye Re Obama, 2010, Rajpal Yadav, Sanjay Mishra, Mahie Gill, Satirical Comedy, Black Comedy, Financial Crisis, Kidnapping.

Plot:

The narrative of Phas Gaye Re Obama opens by introducing Om Shastri (Rajpal Yadav), an Indian-American who has returned to India from the United States, ostensibly for a brief visit. However, Om's situation is far more dire than it initially appears. He is a victim of the devastating 2008 global financial crisis, having lost nearly everything in the US, including his business and his home. His return to his ancestral village in Uttar Pradesh is not a leisurely trip but a desperate attempt to sell off his family property to clear his substantial debts back in America. Unfortunately for Om, his wealthy uncle, who holds the key to selling the land, is deep in debt himself to a local gangster named Bhaiyaji (Sanjay Mishra), making the sale impossible without settling the uncle's dues first. This initial predicament sets the stage for Om's escalating misfortunes.

Meanwhile, in the same region, we are introduced to Bhaiyaji, a small-time but aspiring gangster who dreams of making it big. Bhaiyaji runs a rather amateurish kidnapping operation with his motley crew, which includes the surprisingly sharp and pragmatic Munni (Mahie Gill), the loyal but dim-witted Lallan (Manu Rishi Chadha), and the perpetually hungry Salim (Amol Gupte). Bhaiyaji, constantly under pressure to prove his worth and expand his influence, is on the lookout for a high-profile target. His eyes fall upon Om, the "American returnee," whom he mistakenly believes to be a wealthy NRI (Non-Resident Indian) with deep pockets. The allure of a hefty ransom from an American-based family proves too tempting for Bhaiyaji, who sees this as his golden ticket to legitimacy and financial stability within the criminal underworld.

The kidnapping itself is executed with a mix of amateurish bluster and surprising success. Om is abducted and brought to Bhaiyaji's secluded hideout. However, the moment Om opens his mouth, the entire premise of the kidnapping begins to unravel. Om, far from being the rich American Bhaiyaji envisioned, desperately tries to explain his financial ruin. He recounts tales of the subprime mortgage crisis, the collapse of Wall Street, and the dire economic conditions in the US that have rendered him utterly broke. He claims he has no money, no assets, and his relatives in America are equally struggling. This confession is met with utter disbelief and even anger by Bhaiyaji and his gang. In their rural Indian context, "America" is synonymous with boundless wealth and opportunity, and the idea of an American-returned Indian being poor is simply inconceivable. They dismiss Om's explanations as a clever ploy to avoid paying the ransom.

The comedic core of the film emerges from this clash of realities. Bhaiyaji and his gang, despite their criminal intentions, are surprisingly naive about global economics. They insist on contacting Om's relatives in America, confident that a large ransom will be forthcoming. Om reluctantly provides them with the contact details of his cousin, who lives in the US. What follows is a series of increasingly hilarious and frustrating phone calls. Om's cousin, equally desperate and unwilling to part with any money, invents an elaborate lie: he claims to be a close aide to then-President Barack Obama and insists that paying a ransom would be a matter of national security, involving international diplomacy and federal investigations. He warns Bhaiyaji that involving "Obama's man" would bring down the wrath of the US government upon them, complicating matters immensely.

This "Obama" twist adds another layer of absurdity to the situation. Bhaiyaji and his gang, initially intimidated, become increasingly confused and frustrated. They are rural gangsters, accustomed to local power dynamics, not international diplomacy or presidential threats. Their attempts to verify Om's cousin's claims lead them down a rabbit hole of misinformation and cultural misunderstandings. Munni, the most intelligent member of the gang, begins to piece together the truth, recognizing the inconsistencies in Om's story and the cousin's elaborate lies. She, more than anyone, understands the precariousness of their situation and the potential for things to go terribly wrong. The gang's internal dynamics also come into play; Bhaiyaji's authority is constantly challenged by the unfolding events, and the other members' simple-mindedness provides much of the comic relief.

As days turn into weeks, Om remains captive, and the gang's frustration mounts. Their initial confidence gives way to desperation. They try various tactics to extract money, from threats to pleas, but Om consistently maintains his insolvency. The "Obama" facade, while initially protective, also prevents any straightforward resolution. The situation further escalates when a local politician, a rival of Bhaiyaji, gets wind of the "American" kidnapping. Seeing an opportunity to discredit Bhaiyaji and gain political mileage, he starts to subtly manipulate the situation, aiming to expose the gang and portray himself as a savior. This adds an external layer of threat, forcing Bhaiyaji to be even more cautious and paranoid.

The climax of the film is a chaotic yet brilliant culmination of all these threads. Bhaiyaji, pushed to his breaking point, decides to make one last, desperate attempt to get money. He threatens Om's life, convinced that this will finally force the American relatives to pay. However, by this point, the truth about Om's financial state and the global crisis has slowly begun to sink in, even for the dense Bhaiyaji. Munni plays a crucial role in bringing Bhaiyaji to terms with reality, using her street smarts to explain the implications of the financial downturn in terms they can comprehend. The elaborate lie about being an Obama aide finally crumbles under scrutiny and the sheer absurdity of the situation.

In a surprising turn of events, the resolution doesn't come from a dramatic rescue or a huge ransom. Instead, it arises from a shared understanding of desperation. Bhaiyaji and his gang, having failed spectacularly in their criminal enterprise, find themselves in a similar boat to Om: struggling to make ends meet in a harsh economic climate. Om, despite being their captive, eventually finds a strange camaraderie with his kidnappers, who are, in their own way, victims of circumstances beyond their control. The film concludes with a poignant, albeit comedic, reflection on the universality of economic hardship and the unexpected bonds that can form between people from vastly different worlds when faced with common adversity. The gang, instead of extracting a ransom, ends up in a bizarre partnership with Om, highlighting the film's central theme: that in a world grappling with economic uncertainty, everyone, from the sophisticated investor to the rural gangster, is just trying to survive, often with hilariously disastrous results.

Cast (Lead Roles):

• Rajpal Yadav as Om Shastri
• Sanjay Mishra as Bhaiyaji
• Mahie Gill as Munni
• Manu Rishi Chadha as Lallan
• Amol Gupte as Salim
• Sitaram Panchal as Jalebi
• Akhilendra Mishra as Minister

Crew:

• Director: Subhash Kapoor
• Producer: Subhash Kapoor, Ashok Pandey
• Writer: Subhash Kapoor
• Music Director: Manish J. Tipu
• Cinematography: Anshul Chobey
• Editor: Sandeep Singh Bajeli

Release Info:

• Original Release Date: 3 December 2010
• Language: Hindi
• Genre: Satirical Comedy, Black Comedy
• Running Time: 105 minutes
• Accolades: Won Filmfare Award for Best Screenplay, Screen Award for Best Dialogue, Stardust Award for Best Supporting Actor (Sanjay Mishra), Apsara Film & Television Producers Guild Award for Best Dialogue.