The ‘chacha- bhatija’ (uncle and nephew) components is commonly seen in Hindi movies. Usually companions in crime, the ‘jodi’ embarks on outlandish schemes with aplomb, typically assembly with disastrous ends. Guggu Gill and Ammy Virk play the cheeky duo Shinda and Makhna, respectively, who’re like father and son however with a distinction. The 2 are consuming buddies, overlaying up for every others’ goof-ups, and reveling in every others’ firm. Makhna is footloose and fancy-free and his uncle too will get a free rein when his spouse goes in another country.
Oye Makhna marks the sixth collaboration between director Simerjit Singh and Virk, who’ve beforehand labored collectively on Angrez (2015), Nikka Zaildar (2016), Nikka Zaildar 2 (2017), Nikka Zaildar 3 (2019) and Muklawa (2019). Marking one other collaboration, the movie is produced below the banner of Yoodlee Movies, the movie arm of Saregama India, which made the announcement final yr that it will likely be venturing into Punjabi cinema after making inroads into Tamil and Marathi movie industries.
The romantic comedy is pegged on Makhna’s search for a lady whom he spots at a visitors gentle and is totally passionate about. Nevertheless, he has solely been capable of see her eyes and is decided to seek out her. In a case of mistaken identification, he thinks she is the irascible neighbour’s daughter. However the issue is that she is already engaged to another person.
The uncle-nephew staff plots to get the engagement damaged one way or the other, to clear a path for Makhna to woo her. This results in hilarious conditions, because the duo does a volte-face on their baffled neighbour (Hardeep Gill) and discover themselves concocting tales to perform their aim.
Nevertheless, Makhna realises (a bit too late) that the lady of his desires Rimple (Tania) just isn’t the neighbour’s daughter. Because the scenario turns into extra complicated, relationships and feelings get entangled and other people get harm. The uncle-nephew relationship too will get strained within the course of.
The primary half primarily establishes the bond between the ‘chacha-bhatija jodi’, which stays entrance and centre within the movie. Collectively, the duo seeks refuge in gallons of alcohol, because the uncle vows to see his nephew glad in any respect prices. There may be a lot drunk philosophising and the dire want for liquid braveness when they’re off to face brickbats for his or her deeds. Whereas that is humorous at first, it’s completed with a heavy hand and turns into a bit tiresome. The movie additionally lags in its pacing as there are over-extended scenes and useless meandering earlier than the varied strands get tied up in direction of a quite predictable finish.
In its enthusiasm to pack in an excessive amount of, author Rakesh Dhawan features a social message of types which tells us concerning the plight of orchestra dancers, who battle to make a residing. That is completed in a quite cursory method and one wonders if the one purpose for its inclusion was the truth that within the current previous, a number of Punjabi-language movies have delved into this explicit subject.
The performances by Ammy Virk and Tania are competent, with Guggu Gill stealing a lot of the limelight together with his easy charisma. Typically solid as a stern, hard-to-please character, it’s refreshing to see him shine in a light-hearted movie, the place he aces the comedian timing. Supporting actors Sukhwinder Chahal and Hardeep Gill bolster the overall hilarity that ensues.
On the music entrance, there are some notable tracks, starting with the opening dance quantity “Chad gayi chad gayi”, sung by Neha Kakkar; adopted by the love ballad “Chann Sitarey” sung by Virk, that includes a stylised dream sequence. A romantic courtship quantity, “Essential Cheez ki Haan”, unfolds the love between Rimple and Makhna.
An gratifying movie general, Oye Makhna has its coronary heart in the precise place. Regardless of all of the misunderstandings and disingenuous plotting, the characters don’t want to harm anybody’s sentiments, least of all these of their members of the family. As Tania says emphatically, “Household at all times comes first”, a lot in order that the lovers resolve to take the excessive highway, sacrificing their love for the larger good. However all’s nicely that ends nicely, particularly in a comedy of errors.
Oye Makhna film solid: Ammy Virk, Guggu Gill, Tania, Hardeep Gill
Oye Makhna film director: Simerjit Singh
Oye Makhna film ranking: 3 stars