Bawarchi (translation: The Chef) is a 1972 Indian Hindi-language musical comedy drama film directed by Hrishikesh Mukherjee and produced by Mukherjee himself along with N.C. Sippy and Romu N. Sippy. Released in India on 18th August 1972, the film stars an ensemble cast of Rajesh Khanna, Jaya Bhaduri, Asrani, Harindranath Chattopadhyay, A.K. Hangal, Asrani Durga Khote, Manisha, Kali Banerjee, Usha Kiran and Raju Shrestha. The film was ranked the eight highest-grossing film of the year 1972. In an interview, Khanna quoted "In Bawarchi, I did exactly the opposite of what Hrishida had made me do in Anand (1971). He allowed me to interpret the role and perform my way. I had done enough intense roles, and Bawarchi gave me the opportunity to interpret and perform the role the way I wanted. So I let myself go."
Mukherjee's style here is typical, in that the film contains no violence, and focuses rather on "the milieu of the Indian middle-class who have larger-than-life foibles and whose major concern is to survive the day [...:] which bahu will cook, which brother will use the bathroom first, who will get up first to make the morning tea, [etc.]" Khanna won his second BFJA Awards for Best Actor (Hindi) for his performance in this film.
The movie is a remake of the Bengali film Galpo Holeo Satti (1966) by Tapan Sinha. The film was remade in Tamil as Samayalkaaran with M. K. Muthu. It was remade twice in Kannada – first as Sakala Kala Vallabha, starring Shashikumar and second as No 73, Shanthi Nivasa, with Sudeep. It served as a great inspiration for the 1997 Hindi film Hero No. 1.
Contents
Synopsis
The story is centered around the squabbling Sharma family, headed by their eccentric Daduji, which has a dubious reputation of the inability to retain a cook for more than a few months due to their ill treatment of their domestic helps. The family's disrepute spreads to such an extent that no person wants to be employed as a cook in their home, named Shanti Niwas (abode of peace).
Then one day a young man named Raghu offers to work as a cook, and is hired. Raghu, however, lives up to this challenge and becomes the apple of the eye of every inmate of Shanti Niwas. He even defuses the internal squabbles and re-unites the family.
Plot
After the opening graphics, which use the cooking theme for good effect, the film begins with Amitabh Bachchan, being the narrator, announcing the credits against a rather oddly static red curtain, and then introducing the various characters in the story. Firstly, there are the fractious Sharma family members, who all live in the ironically named "Shanti Niwas" ("Abode of Peace"). The never-ending conflict in the house means that the family cannot keep their servants, which in turn, leads to further discord and argument. The family is controlled by the aging, disgruntled patriarch named Shivnath Sharma a.k.a. Daduji (Harindranath Chattopadhyay), who always complains about his sons, his daughters-in-law, and the lack of a decent cup of tea in the morning. Despite his grumpy demeanour, he is the only person in the house to think about the welfare of Krishna Sharma (Jaya Bhaduri), the orphaned daughter of his late second son and daughter-in-law, who both died in a car accident several years ago. The recluse Krishna is at everyone's beck and call, and yet she has a pleasant and sunny disposition, which leads her to wait on everyone with a smile and not much thought of her own comfort.
Also in the house are Daduji's first son Ramnath (A.K. Hangal), his wife Seeta (Durga Khote) and their daughter Meeta (Manisha). Ramnath is a harried clerk whose family life is impacting on his work, and also drinks to combat his woes and possibly even to help him deal with his wife and daughter, although this actually makes him more pleasant to deal with. Seeta complains of her gout which makes her unable to help with the various household chores, while Meeta is just plain lazy and does get out of bed only for dance lessons and party visits. Daduji's third son Kashinath (Kali Banerjee) is a pompous schoolteacher, who lives in the house along with his wife Shobha (Usha Kiran) and their young son Pintoo (Raju Shrestha). The last member in the family is Daduji's fourth son Vishwanath Sharma (Asrani), a music director for films, who copies English songs, adds Hindi lyrics to them and records them as Krishna aptly puts it. The final two characters in the film are Guruji (Paintal), Meeta's dance teacher, and Arun, Krishna's tutor and also love interest.
The family squabbles are based on their own selfishness, and none of them wants to take on the responsibility of looking for new servants. Into this unhappy household steps Raghunandan a.k.a. Raghu (Rajesh Khanna), who just appears on the doorstep one day, volunteering to be their new cook. Raghu seems to be the answer to everyone's prayers as he insists in a low salary, cooks amazing food and also has talents as a philosopher, singer, composer and dance instructor to name but a few. Raghu seems to be a gift from the deities as his unfailing happiness and good cheer start to have an impact on the family, as does his willingness to tackle even the most demeaning of tasks. However, Raghu does seem to have an unhealthy interest in the large box chained under Daduji's bed. This large box happens to contain the family jewelleries and added in to reports of a thief in the area makes Raghu's arrival a little suspicious. However, Raghu's unique ability to cook and his constant stream of knowledge about anything and everything soon make him indispensable to the family.
Cast
Rajesh Khanna as Raghunandan a.k.a. Raghu (Bawarchi) / Professor Prabhakar
Jaya Bhaduri as Krishna H Sharma
Asrani as Vishwanath S Sharma a.k.a. Babbu
Harindranath Chattopadhyay as Shivnath Sharma a.k.a. Daduji
A.K. Hangal as Ramnath S Sharma a.k.a. Munna
Durga Khote as Seeta R Sharma
Manisha as Meeta R Sharma
Kartar Singh Sikh man set in theatre song (More Naina Bahaye Neer Sakhi Ka)
Kali Banerjee as Kashinath S Sharma a.k.a. Kashi
Usha Kiran as Shobha K Sharma
Raju Shrestha as Pintoo K Sharma
Paintal as Guruji (Meeta's dance teacher)
Seema Kapoor as Dancer No. 2 (dance performance night)
Amitabh Bachchan as Narrator
Crew
Director – Hrishikesh Mukherjee
Story – Tapan Sinha
Screenplay – Hrishikesh Mukherjee
Dialogue – Gulzar
Editor – Das Dhaimade
Producer – Hrishikesh Mukherjee, N. C. Sippy, Romu N. Sippy
Cinematographer – Jaywant Pathare
Art Director – Ajit Banerjee
Animation – S. G. Naiksatam
Choreographer – Gopi Krishna
Narrator – Amitabh Bachchan