Saare Jahaan Se Mehnga Review

One Line Review: It is a light-hearted satire, which gently unveils the problems of inflation.

Positive Points: Creative Camera work, attentively played background score, performances by each actor; character sketching; good art direction to depict Haryana.

Negative Points: Justification of an illegal idea; some innovative bluff tricks could have brought more anxiety; less use of comic element in first part

Plot: 'Saare Jahaan Se Mehnga' is a satire on the rising inflation in the country. This is a story of a middle-class family residing in a locality named Pal Nagar in Haryana. Puttan Pal (Sanjay Mishra) is a government servant. His wife Noori (Pragati Pandey) runs a Beauty Parlor to support her family. Nag Pal (Vishwa Mohan Badola) is the father of Puttan. His younger brother, Gopal (Ranjan Chabbra) is a young unemployed lad who keeps failing year after year. He admires Suman (Disha pandey), the daughter of Shopkeeper Ram Pal (Paritosh Sand). Puttan Pal, fed up of the rising inflation and his inability to fulfill the demands of his family, prepares a plan to come out of this vicious circle of rising prices. He plans to take a loan of rupees one lakh as an excuse for opening a shop and with that money to stock the required quota of necessities for three years. It is his inference that it will prove as coverage against rising prices of necessities. His family too agrees for the plan and they follow as decided. But he never knew that what problems he could land into. Situation gets complicated when honest Loan Inspector Sigh Sahib (Zakir Hussain) enters the scene and enquires about the shop which is nowhere. The rest begins the tale of bluff, deceit, tricks and tact to tackle the situation.

Will the loan inspector uncover the plan behind the scam?

Will this illegal plan which was made to survive inflation for 3 years, let them survive even three days?

Will the pal family be rescued or will they be punished?

Direction And Other Technical Aspects: Screenplay unfolds very systematically, Camera angels are nice, and everything from story, characters, and locations seems real. Dialogues successfully depict the conversation between common men and also help to display the Haryanvi dialect. Though, the comedy element could have been increased in the dialogues. Though, it is not a 'Malamaal Weekly', it will remind one a Jaspal Bhatti's Television serial- Flop Show.

Music: Background score take care of the minute details and compliments to art direction. Songs sounds ear-friendly.

Performances: Zakir Hussain beautifully portrays a strict loan inspector. Newcomer Ranjan Chabbra perfectly fits his role of Haryanvi Chora. Sanjay Mishra very aptly presents the common man. Sitaram Panchal looks natural. Vishwa Mohan Badola, Disha Pandey and Pragati Pandey play their part to the par.

Final Verdict: It is a family entertainer and a common man facing the same situation can give it a try.