What's
the
recipe
for
a
winning
motion
picture?
A
gigantic
financial
plan?
Striking
locales?
A
mammoth
star
cast?
Strictly
going
by
the
number
of
low
cost
films
that
found
tremendous
appreciation,
it
reiterates
and
restates
the
fact
that
content
always
reigns
supreme.
'Small'
films
like
Love
Sex
Aur
Dhokha,
Tere
Bin
Laden,
Udaan,
Peepli
Live,
Khichdi
and
Do
Dooni
Chaar
have
had
a
lot
to
say
when
compared
to
several
mammoth
ventures,
which
drove
on
star
power
while
content
took
a
complete
backseat.
Subhash
Kapoor's
Phas
Gaye
Re
Obama
banks
on
a
taut
screenplay
and
not
a
showy
star
cast
to
deliver
the
goods.
Choosing
an
interesting
plot
is
one
thing
and
doing
justice
to
it
is
another.
But
the
assorted
characters,
the
sequence
of
events
in
the
narrative
and
the
bunch
of
talented
actors
do
the
trick.
At
the
same
time,
though
the
film
has
the
right
running
time,
it
could've
done
with
some
sharper
editing
at
places.
Final
word?
Phas
Gaye
Re
Obama
may
not
boast
of
stars
to
entice
the
viewers
in
hordes.
It
may
not
have
a
colossal
canvas
[on
the
contrary,
the
making
is
very
basic].
It
may
not
have
a
wonderful
musical
score
to
act
as
a
hook
[there
are
hardly
any
songs
here].
But
Phas
Gaye
Re
Obama
succeeds,
and
succeeds
largely,
in
its
endeavour:
Make
the
viewer
laugh
at
the
right
places.
A
small
little
gem
that
deserves
a
watch.
Phas
Gaye
Re
Obama
traces
the
journey
of
Om
[Rajat
Kapoor],
an
American
citizen
of
Indian
origin,
who
loses
all
his
wealth
overnight
to
the
global
recession
and
is
asked
to
vacate
his
home
by
the
bank,
unless
he
pays
up
$
100,000
[the
mortgaged
amount]
within
30
days.
Seeing
no
other
option,
Om
comes
to
India
to
sell
a
small
piece
of
an
ancestral
property.
But
within
days
of
landing
in
India,
he
is
kidnapped
by
a
'recession-hit'
underworld
gang
[Sanjay
Mishra,
Manu
Rishi,
Amit
Sial],
who
think
that
he
is
still
a
millionaire.
How
do
the
gangsters
cope
with
their
catch
forms
the
rest
of
the
story.
Phas
Gaye
Re
Obama
showcases
how
global
recession/meltdown
impacted
lives,
affecting
not
just
an
America-based
businessman,
but
also
an
underworld
don
in
the
dusty
plains
of
small-town
India.
A
spanklingly
new
idea
indeed.
And
the
assorted
characters,
right
from
Sanjay
Mishra
to
Manu
Rishi
to
Neha
Dhupia
to
Amole
Gupte,
only
make
the
goings-on
spicy.
Handled
deftly
by
Subhash
Kapoor,
an
extremely
talented
director,
the
film
has
several
sequences
that
stay
in
your
memory
much
after
the
film
has
concluded.
I'd
like
to
single
out
the
sequence
when
Manu
Rishi
meets
Rajat
Kapoor
for
the
first
time.
The
sequence
involving
the
English
class
teacher
also
stays
with
you.
The
climax
is
smart
and
I
really
liked
the
way
Subhash
Kapoor
concluded
the
story.
Phas
Gaye
Re
Obama
is
an
engaging
film
because
of
its
largely
original
writing.
Also,
director
Subhash
Kapoor
allows
the
actors
enough
room
to
interpret
their
characters
well.
Rajat
Kapoor
as
the
suave
NRI
is
natural,
Neha
Dhupia
as
Lady
Gabbar
is
convincing,
Sanjay
Mishra
as
the
broke
gangster
is
incredible,
Manu
Rishi
as
the
helpless
sidekick
of
the
gangster
is
wonderful
and
Amole
Gupte
as
the
gangster/politician
gets
his
timing
spot-on.
Although
each
actor
pitches
in
a
commendable
performance,
I'd
like
to
single
out
Sanjay
Mishra
and
Manu
Rishi
for
making
every
sequence
they
feature
in,
tremendous.
On
the
whole,
Phas
Gaye
Re
Obama
banks
on
an
interesting
premise
rather
than
a
galaxy
of
stars
to
deliver
what
it
promises.
Few
film-makers
stick
their
necks
out
to
tell
tricky
and
complex
stories
in
these
days
of
mindless
entertainers
making
loads
of
money
at
the
ticket
window.
For
their
intentions
alone,
the
makers
of
Phas
Gaye
Re
Obama
merit
that
support.
Here's
a
request
to
all
cine
lovers
and
also
multiplexes,
from
this
writer.
Give
this
one
a
chance.
Let's
nurture
and
support
it
well,
so
that
genuine
and
honest
efforts
like
Phas
Gaye
Re
Obama
don't
go
unnoticed.
Director:
Subhash
Kapoor
Cast:
Rajat
Kapoor,
Neha
Dhupia,
Amol
Gupte,
Amit
Sial,
Sanjay
Mishra,
Manu
Rishi,
Brijendra
Kala