Cast: Ankur Khanna, Farooque Shaikh, Masumeh Makhija, Lillete Dubey, Sharon Prabhakar, Mukta Barve, Seema Azmi, Shahnaz Anand, Chirjyot Singh, Kiran Yadnopavit, Farrokh Mehta, Kartik Ramachandran, Vidyadhar Karmakar, Rustom Irani, Ayan Malik, Khoobad , Tanushree Datta, Kiron Kher, Anoushka Anand, Farid Currim, Karishma Chandna, Divyatta , Sumer Arora, Shreya Sharma
Like a fluctuating stock market, the graph of ‘Saas Bahu Aur Sensex’ moves up and down before reaching the predictable climax.
It’s unlikely to think of saas or bahu being interested in anything but idiot box, gossip, grapevine and back-biting. But in this movie, directed by Shona Urvashi, the ladies indulge in – apart from the aforesaid activities – some serious share trading with the help of a straight-talking and soft-hearted stock broker (an endearing Farooq Sheikh). Contrary to the adage, he turns out to be the man behind the women’s success.
Kiron Kher plays Binita Sen, a divorcee from Kolkata who moves into a housing society in Mumbai with her daughter Nitya ( Tanushree Dutta ). While Binita forms a kitty party group with other women in the society, Nitya finds a friend in her neighbour Ritesh ( Ankur Khanna ) and lands a job in a call centre.
Meanwhile, Binita meets a Parsi stock broker Feroz Sethna ( Farooq Sheikh ) to sell some old shares, thereby sparking off rumours in the entire housing society that something is brewing between her and the man.
Feroz, like a true financial adviser, guides Binita to invest wisely in the stock market. And before you could munch your popcorn, the entire gaggle of giggly and gossipy ladies, inspired by Binita, hop on the bandwagon and invest in the stock market, even though their husbands remain blissfully ignorant of the numbers on the Dalal Street.
On the parallel is a love triangle between Nitya, Ritesh and Kirti ( Masumeh Makhija ). Nitya has a soft corner for Ritesh, but he is in a relationship with Kirti. Kirti, however, is a manipulative girl with shifting affections.
‘Saas Bahu Aur Sensex’ has a few feelgood moments, but on the whole, the movie fails to click. Firstly, the duration of the film is painfully long with a couple of unnecessary sequences (like the television show). Secondly, the overstretched love triangle takes the sap out of what could have been an interesting story of a bunch of middle-aged ladies making fortunes in share market.
Director Shona Urvashi has given a couple of very fine touches to the film (the bonhomie between the kitty partying women is rocking) but she has fallen short of seamlessly binding the subplots in the story. On top of it, the film’s below-average music only jars your eardrums.
Kiron Kher and Faroukh Sheikh make this film watchable with their charming screen presence and brilliant performances. Tanushree looks visibly uninterested in enacting her part, while Masumeh is suitably cast in the role of a girl looking to noose a rich guy. Ankur Khanna performs well in a few scenes. Sharon Prabhakar and Lillette Dubey add a few funny moments.
‘Saas Bahu Aur Sensex’ is no laugh riot, but it does have ample light-hearted moments. And those who have been rattled by the after-effects of the US economic meltdown on the Dalal Street might find a momentary respite to see the sensex figure touching the 30 thousand mark in the film.
Rating: **
I have just one comment for this movie ... ' for all the market lovers a one time watch '
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