Arvind Divetia, a street-smart Ahmedabad estate agent known as Gujjubhai, and his YouTuber son Khagesh scheme a get-rich-quick shortcut that lands them in serious trouble. A chance run-in with a supposed intelligence agent then pulls the bumbling father-son duo into a plot involving Pakistani terrorists, a briefcase bomb, and the lives of two visiting prime ministers. Out of their depth but never out of jokes, the pair must bluff their way through to save the day.
GujjuBhai Most Wanted is the second outing in Siddharth Randeria's beloved franchise, a sequel to the 2015 hit Gujjubhai the Great, again directed by his son Ishaan Randeria. Randeria plays Arvind Divetia, a street-smart Ahmedabad estate agent whose money-making shortcut with his son Khagesh, played by Jimit Trivedi, drags the pair into a cross-border tangle of terrorists, secret agents and two prime ministers.
The film lives and dies on its leading duo. Randeria's comic timing remains the main draw, and his patented Gujju-fied Hindi and rapid-fire one-liners keep the laughs coming, with Jimit Trivedi matching him beat for beat. Reviewers singled out the side characters too, especially Sunil Vishrani's builder Nagda and Ragi Jani's Kathiawadi cop. The Times of India was generous with four stars, praising the humour and the dialogue.
Not everyone was won over. DeshGujarat's Cinemawalla, at two and a half stars, argued that the terrorist and espionage track smothers the comedy, that the 157-minute runtime badly needs trimming, and that the franchise leans too hard on wife-bashing and ogling for its jokes. The over-Bollywoodised action and heavy use of Hindi drew criticism as well. What you get is a broad family entertainer that is funniest when it stays with Gujjubhai's small-time hustle and weakest when it reaches for spy-thriller spectacle. For fans of Randeria's stage persona there is plenty to enjoy, but anyone hoping for the tighter charm of the first film may leave a little restless.
Verdict
A crowd-pleasing Randeria showcase that is a laugh riot in parts but loses its way in an overstretched, over-Bollywoodised spy plot.
What works
- Siddharth Randeria's sharp comic timing
- Jimit Trivedi complements him beat for beat
- Memorable side characters and quotable one-liners
- Slick, Bollywood-level production values
What holds it back
- Espionage plot dilutes the comedy
- Overlong at 157 minutes
- Dated wife-bashing and ogling humour
- Leans too hard on Hindi and Bollywood imitation
Cast & crew
Writers: Ishaan Randeria (story, screenplay); Siddharth Randeria (dialogues)
Music: Advait Nemlekar, Parth Bharat Thakkar, Sagar Desai
Cast: Siddharth Randeria (Arvind Divetia (Gujjubhai)), Jimit Trivedi (Khagesh Divetia (KD)), Jayesh More (Agent Vikrant Waghmare), Vyoma Nandi (Priya Rajguru), Tejal Vyas (Indu), Sunil Vishrani (Nagda), Ragi Jani (Zoravarsinh Jadeja)
Producers: Dhaval Gada, Aksshay Gada
Watch the trailer
Play the official trailer on YouTubeMore from Ishaan Randeria
More Comedy Gujarati films
Frequently asked
Is GujjuBhai - Most Wanted worth watching?
A crowd-pleasing Randeria showcase that is a laugh riot in parts but loses its way in an overstretched, over-Bollywoodised spy plot. Kevu Che rates it 3.5 out of 5.
What is GujjuBhai - Most Wanted about?
Arvind Divetia, a street-smart Ahmedabad estate agent known as Gujjubhai, and his YouTuber son Khagesh scheme a get-rich-quick shortcut that lands them in serious trouble. A chance run-in with a supposed intelligence agent then pulls the bumbling father-son duo into a plot involving Pakistani terrorists, a briefcase bomb, and the lives of two visiting prime ministers. Out of their depth but never out of jokes, the pair must bluff their way through to save the day.
What is the IMDb rating of GujjuBhai - Most Wanted?
GujjuBhai - Most Wanted (2018) holds an IMDb rating of 7.2 out of 10.