Kolkata is simple, spicy, sweet and everything addicting; and Piku is exactly that. Deepika Padukone plays the lead role of Piku a Bengali girl and Amitabh Bachchan plays Bhaskor Banerjee, her father who is a constipated man infatuated with the idea of a clean stomach. Bhaskor Bengali is like any other Benagli man, a proud Bengali who lives in Delhi post his retirement but will not sell his baadi (house) in Kolkata whatsoever.
The father-daughter duo never just talk; they scream at each other, they lose their patience and they also get drunk together.
The scene where Amitabh Bachchan dances on a Bengali tune after being drunk is a treat to watch, simple yet mesmerizing.
The duo is joined in the madness by yesteryear beauty Moushmi Chatterjee who proves that with every passing year an actor only becomes more charming and versatile. She plays Piku's aunt who has had three failed marriages and is very much unapologetic of the fact. The scenes where Piku's sexual life is discussed like any other normal topic would show the progressive nature of the Indian society and at the same time highlight the fact that she is after all a lonely soul. On the other hand Piku views sex only as a need and not a want.
And when we are talking about Piku, how can we forget to mention Irrfan Khan; the non-Bengali car driver Rana who falls for Piku's rudeness and tough exterior which hides a vulnerable soul.
Irrfan Khan has yet played this character with immense ease and he has transcended few scenes with his amazing comic timing. Also Jisshu Sengupta plays Piku's office colleague and has an interesting tangent of his own going on with Piku adding more fun to this Bollywood's Kolkata Jhaal Muri.
Soojit Sircar's Piku is everything you will relate to and it will amuse you at many levels.
His direction reminds you of Hrishikesh Mukherjee's style of Cinema which is simple and yet touches your heart. Do watch it for two reasons; Mr. Amitabh Bachchan's potrayal of a Bengali man and Kolkata. Also for Deepika lovers, she looks good, acts bang on and also plays badminton like a pro in a scene; so don't miss this one.
