Saheb Biwi Aur Gangster

Direction: Tigmanshu Dhulia

Cast: Jimmy Shergill, Mahie Gill, Randeep Hooda

An ancestral palace situated on the rural lands of Deogarh, that once had the highest royal esteem is now under the reign of a king, nominal though, who has powers but money: Saheb. This part of Uttar Pradesh, infamous for the way of  political business done there, has another powerful dealer Gendha Singh, who possesses rivalry to the Saheb. Saheb's powers is under the access of his step-mom who was the kept-woman of his father and is now the Rani. Marrying his kept-woman has set an example of the kind of generous trust that the royal palace boasts of. Saheb's Biwi, Chhoti Raani, is mentally unstable, lives on injections, keeps record of the billings, rides on jeep for outings with her personal chauffeur. Her chauffeur is now injured and is replaced by his nephew who is booked for attempt to murder but is relieved by Gendha Singh (Vipin Sharma) to work secretly for him by living under his rival's palace. He is the Gangster.

"Iss haveli mein sirf wafadar reh sakte hain," says Chhoti Rani (Mahie Gill) to his driver Babloo a.k.a Lalit (played by Randeep Hooda) while they were away from palace making strong love. The sharp minded character of Babloo takes it causally to say," Kya aap Saheb ko wafadar hai?" Saheb (Jimmy Shergill), on the other hand, rejoices love from a woman kept away from the palace called Mahua. The character development of the whole script shines out with each of the title characters playing theatrically on this politics-lust-betray drawn story of which such catchy conversations is an integral part. 

Paced to set a Shakespearean style of story-telling, the film plots to intrigue the audience with the turns and mild twists. Predictable often. Being not one of its kind, it reminds you of other masterpieces on same genre like Maqbool (2003) and Omkara (2006) both by Vishal Bhardwaj. Saheb, Biwi Aur Gangster, though not an adaptation neither remake of any, is hard to believe as a very original screenplay. What makes Dhulia's script remarkable are the witty dialogues imbibed well into the portrayal of characters to set the story going. What makes not is its single layer that plods not to give you thrill even at the climax! Also lacked a strong background score that would have coated the story musically. There is a Sufi and also a love ballad that hardly stays on your mind. Only reason you will remember a song from this movie is that it starts abruptly "Chu Chu Chu Chu".However, the movie is made with moments: Saheb purchasing arms, and Saheb's right-handed man introducing Babloo to the kind of his work. Well crafted.

Not saying much, I recommend Saheb, Biwi Aur Gangster to that part of movie-goers' society who deserve an intelligent form of entertainment.