You know those movies that are so aggressively loud and colorful they feel like a shot of caffeine? That’s basically the bol bachchan hindi film experience in a nutshell. Released back in July 2012, it arrived at a time when director Rohit Shetty was essentially the king of the "leave your brain at home" comedy genre. Honestly, if you grew up watching Bollywood in the 2010s, you couldn’t escape the trailers of Ajay Devgn's character mangling the English language or Abhishek Bachchan dancing like a manic Kathak teacher.
The Weird Connection to Hrishikesh Mukherjee
Here is the thing most people forget: this movie is technically a remake of the 1979 classic Gol Maal. Now, comparing Hrishikesh Mukherjee’s subtle, gentle wit to Rohit Shetty’s flying cars is like comparing a quiet cup of tea to a double espresso laced with Red Bull.
The plot kicks off when Abbas Ali (Abhishek Bachchan) and his sister Sania (Asin) lose their ancestral property in Delhi. They end up in Ranakpur, a village ruled by the eccentric, lie-hating strongman Prithviraj Raghuvanshi, played by Ajay Devgn. To get a job and avoid a religious misunderstanding after breaking a temple lock to save a kid, Abbas lies about his name, calling himself "Abhishek Bachchan."
Then, the lies snowball.
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To cover his tracks, he invents a twin brother—a "sissy" Kathak dancer with no mustache. It’s a classic comedy of errors setup. But while the original Gol Maal relied on clever wordplay, this bol bachchan hindi film leans hard into slapstick, loud background scores, and massive action set pieces.
Why Ajay Devgn’s "English" Stole the Show
If you ask anyone what they remember most about the film, it isn’t the plot. It’s Prithviraj’s "English" proverbs. The writers, Sajid-Farhad, leaned into a very specific kind of humor where Hindi idioms are translated literally into English.
- "When elder get cosy, younger don't put nosy." (Bado ke beech mein chote nahi bolte).
- "My chest has become blouse." (Mera seena chauraha ho gaya hai).
- "Boy under armpit and hypercity noise pollution." (Bagal mein chora aur shehar mein dindhora).
It’s dumb. It’s ridiculous. But in the context of a packed theater in 2012, it worked like magic. Ajay Devgn played the role with such a straight face that the absurdity became ten times funnier. He was the perfect foil to Abhishek Bachchan’s high-energy double act.
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Breaking Down the Box Office Numbers
Despite the critics being a bit split—Anupama Chopra famously called it "The Cinema of Exhaustion"—the audience didn't care. They showed up in droves.
The film was a massive commercial success. It was made on a budget of roughly 50 crore and went on to rake in over 165 crore worldwide. In India alone, it crossed the 100-crore mark, which was the "gold standard" for hits back then. It actually set records for advance bookings at the time. People wanted to see the Rohit Shetty-Ajay Devgn duo again after the Golmaal series, and the addition of Abhishek Bachchan added a fresh dynamic that the market was hungry for.
The Legacy and Where to Watch It
Looking back, the bol bachchan hindi film marks a specific era of Bollywood. It was the last time Shetty worked with Neeraj Vora, who played the suspicious sidekick Maakhan and sadly passed away a few years later. It was also the final project for the production house Shree Ashtavinayak before they ran into major legal and financial trouble.
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Is it high art? No way. But is it a perfect Friday night watch when you just want to see colorful sets, hear catchy Himesh Reshammiya tunes like "Chalao Na Naino Se Baan," and watch cars fly for no apparent reason? Absolutely.
If you’re looking to revisit it, the film is usually available on major streaming platforms like Disney+ Hotstar or Netflix (depending on your region). It’s the kind of movie that’s better watched with a group of friends who don't take cinema too seriously.
How to get the most out of your rewatch:
- Skip the logic: Don't try to figure out how Abbas manages to change clothes and shave so fast. It's movie magic.
- Listen for the cameos: Amitabh Bachchan appears in the title track, which is a rare treat seeing the father-son duo on screen together.
- Watch the supporting cast: Krushna Abhishek and Archana Puran Singh (from the Comedy Circus fame) actually provide some of the most consistent laughs in the second half.
Instead of analyzing the script, just enjoy the vibrant Ranakpur sets—many of which were filmed at the gorgeous Chomu Palace in Rajasthan. It’s a visual treat that captures that big-budget Bollywood "mela" vibe perfectly.