Aamir Khan Productions’ Happy Patel Khatarnak Jasoos (A) is the story of a secret agent, Happy Patel (Vir Das), who comes from London to India to locate a lady who has been held captive by someone unknown. Since Happy Patel doesn’t know Hindi, he learns the language in a crash course. With his limited knowledge of the language, he manages to converse with the locals in Goa while trying to trace the missing lady. After research, he comes to the conclusion that Jimmy Mario’s (Aamir Khan) daughter, Mama (Mona Singh), may have held the woman captive. What happens thereafter?
Vir Das and Amogh Ranadive have written a story which doesn’t really have much to offer to the viewers. The story often borders on the outrageous and cares little for logic or continuity. The duo’s screenplay often looks like an assemblage of scenes rather than a seamless drama. While very few scenes are funny, most of them are not even that. And this, even though the drama is designed as a comedy. Frankly, the thin story-line has been stretched beyond imagination and hence the drama becomes boring quite early on. In the absence of a sensible screenplay, the two writers have resorted to a liberal use of four-letter words in the dialogues written by them. Foul language in Hindi and English has been liberally used to create laughter. Since there are many dialogues in English, the ones who don’t understand or can’t speak the language will get irritated.
Vir Das plays the title role and is alright in it but he can’t carry the burden of an entire film on his shoulders — definitely not as a hero. Mithila Palkar is okay as Happy Patel’s girlfriend, Rupa. Mona Singh does an average job as Mama. Her expressions and dialogue delivery are monotonous. Sharib Hashmi is impressive as Geet. Srushti Tawade is okay as Roxy. Aamir Khan definitely adds star value in a special appearance as Jimmy Mario. Imran Khan makes his mark in a special appearance as supermodel Milind Morea. Sumukhi Suresh has her moments as maid Sakhubai Patel. Ashwin Mushran (as the instructor), Bachan Pachera (as the old waiter), Ash King (as himself), Meiyang Chang (as himself), and Sanjeev Kapoor (as himself) provide some entertaining moments. Anthony Mark McKeon (as Mr. White), Andrew Sloman (as Roger), Simon Fielder (as Sebastian), Prajakta Kavalekar (as Rosemary), Bimal Sarkar (as Jimmy’s goon), Rajesh Yadav (as Jimmy’s henchman), Sharvari Deshpandey (as Flavia), Ojasvi Bhatti and Jehan Khambatta (both as Jimmy’s sons), Gunja Javani (as Jimmy’s daughter), Jemima Dunn (as Mary), Benedict Garrett (as Kenneth Mole), Maya Rachel McManus (as Beatrice Faufferbaum), Amit Bhandari (as Rickson), Ambuj Anand (as Dickson), Nilesh Gaware (as Carlton), Vishwanath Kulkarni (as Sailesh), Marcell D’Souza (as Gomez), Anubhav Sakhuja (as Clinton), Ellie Flory Fawcett (as Johnson), Amogh Ranadive (as the instructor’s assistant), Hella Stichlmair (as aunty), Brian Nathan (as Tom), Rohan Naik (as the cab driver), Amit Patel (as Rosemary’s son), Ryan Adam (as D’Costa), Mayank Parakh (as Peter), Bageshri Joshirao (as Gawde), Madhura Joshi (as Devne), Tirtha Murbadkar (as Godbole), and the others do as desired.
Vir Das and Kavi Shastri’s direction caters only to a thin section of the elite audience. For the rest, the drama is very boring. Music (Achint Thakkar, Akshay & IP, Ajay Jayanthi & Parth Parekh, and Alien Chutney) is fair. Lyrics (Vir Das, I.P. Singh, Animesh Panigrahi, Mxrzi, Suchita Shirke and Neeraj Pandey) are in synch with the film’s mood. Uma-Gaiti’s choreography is so-so. Background music (by Shalom Benjamin, Nirmit Shah and Parth Pandya) is nice. Himman Dhamija’s cinematography is good. R.P. Yadav’s action and stunt scenes are quite thrilling. Tapas Paren Singha’s production designing, with additional production designing by Yashika Gor and Parth Varshney, is proper. Daanish Shastri’s editing is reasonably sharp.
On the whole, Happy Patel Khatarnak Jasoos does not have the masala to entertain and hence it will flop at the box-office.
Released on 16-1-’26 at Inox (daily 5 shows) and other cinemas of Bombay thru PVR Inox Pictures. Publicity: good. Opening: dull (because of lack of face value). …….Also released all over. Opening was very weak everywhere.