Bachubhai is a sixty-something man who loses his job and is told the only way back is the college degree he never earned. He enrols alongside students a third his age and turns the campus upside down while chasing the qualification. What begins as a comeback comedy slowly becomes a story about dignity, ageing and second chances.
Bachubhai is the film that finally lets Siddharth Randeria step out of the Gujjubhai costume he made famous. He plays a sixty-something man pushed out of his job and told the only way back is the college degree he never finished, so he enrols with students young enough to be his grandchildren and refuses to be embarrassed by it.
Directors Rahul Bhole and Vinit Kanojia keep the whole thing in one location in Vadodara, which could have felt cramped but instead gives the campus a lived-in warmth. The comedy is broad and crowd-pleasing, and Randeria carries it with the timing three decades of stage work buys you. Apara Mehta, in a smaller part, supplies the emotional counterweight, and their scenes are where the film stops mugging and starts landing. Audiences on IMDb keep reaching for Munnabhai MBBS as a comparison, and the shape is similar, an outsider disrupting an institution until the institution learns something back.
It is not seamless. The screenplay leans on familiar underdog beats, the pacing sags whenever the plot pauses to set up the next gag, and a few supporting turns stay cartoonish. But the core idea, that dignity and ambition do not expire with age, is sincere, and the film earns its warmth rather than manufacturing it. Parth Bharat Thakkar and Amar Khandha's songs sit lightly on top without slowing things down.
The result is a soft, generous entertainer that picked up six nominations at the Transmedia Gujarati Awards and gave Randeria one of his better recent showcases. Watch it for a veteran comedian proving he can do heart as well as laughs, and for a premise Gujarati cinema rarely bothers to take seriously.
Verdict
A generous, feel-good comeback comedy that lets a veteran comedian show real heart. Formulaic in places, but sincere where it counts.
What works
- Siddharth Randeria outside the Gujjubhai mould
- Warm, sincere emotional core
- Apara Mehta's grounding presence
- A premise about ageing and dignity
What holds it back
- Leans on familiar underdog beats
- Pacing sags between set-pieces
- Some supporting turns stay cartoonish
- Broad comedy will not suit everyone
Cast & crew
Writers: Rahul Bhole, Vinit Kanojia, Chirayu Mistry, Om Bhatt
Music: Parth Bharat Thakkar, Amar Khandha
Cast: Siddharth Randeria (Bachubhai), Apara Mehta (Nirmala), Amit Singh Thakur (Vilin Patel), Naman Gor (Agam), Poorvi Palan (Duri Suk), Om Bhatt (Nalin)
Producers: Jyoti Deshpande, Sharad Patel, Shreyanshi Patel
Watch the trailer
Play the official trailer on YouTubeMore from Rahul Bhole, Vinit Kanojia
More Comedy Gujarati films
Frequently asked
Is Bachubhai worth watching?
A generous, feel-good comeback comedy that lets a veteran comedian show real heart. Formulaic in places, but sincere where it counts. Kevu Che rates it 3.5 out of 5.
What is Bachubhai about?
Bachubhai is a sixty-something man who loses his job and is told the only way back is the college degree he never earned. He enrols alongside students a third his age and turns the campus upside down while chasing the qualification. What begins as a comeback comedy slowly becomes a story about dignity, ageing and second chances.
What is the IMDb rating of Bachubhai?
Bachubhai (2023) holds an IMDb rating of 6.8 out of 10 from 201 votes.