Laughter Reloaded: 10 Timeless Bollywood Comedies

“A day without Laughter is a day wasted”, as quoted by the legendary comic actor and filmmaker Sir Charles Spencer Chaplin, is a great thought. If you are not happy or laughing, you are not only wasting your day but also your health. As someone said, laughter is the best medicine, and if you want a continuous dose of this medicine, here are some timeless Bollywood comedies.  

Whether it's a bad day, you are in a gloomy mood, or just want to watch something rib-tickling, you are at the right place. Just find the following recommendations, so let's look at some Bollywood movies that never fail to amuse me. 

1.Andaz Apna Apna: A 1994 Rom-com directed by Rajkumar Santoshi, starring Amir Khan and Salman Khan, packed with laughter brushes as both the leads lock horns in healthy banter. The story follows two youngsters who want to achieve great success but are restricted by their family situation. In an attempt to earn quick money, both set out to woo a super-rich young lady played by Karishma Kapoor, but she swapped her identity with her best friend played by Raveen Tondon. In the attempt to win over her heart, the young mans get entangled in stimulating thrills, evoking laughter rolls. 

2.Chachi 420: An evergreen laughter punch, I like to go back to starring Kamal Hassan, who co-wrote, produced, and directed it, released in 1997. This movie is a Hindi adaptation of the movie Avvai Shanmugi starring Kaman Hasan himself, which was inspired by the 1993 movie Mrs. Doubtfire. The story is a situational comedy that arises when a dance master (choreographer), on the verge of divorce, cross-dresses as a woman and becomes his own daughter's caretaker to meet her frequently. What unfolds in this mixture is a piling of misunderstandings and uncalled-for budding romance due to misidentification, leading to mishaps all tumbling down with a feather of truth. 

3.Ready: Another one of my favourite rom-coms with a dose of action starring Salman Khan and Asin was released in 2011, directed by Anees Bazmee. If you are looking for constant laughter calls with sweet banter, this movie is for you. You see a wide cast of comic and veteran actors adding to the fun of the storyline. The story revolves around an unmarried Prem meeting Pooja as arranged by his family, and falls in love with her, only to find she is an imposter, but decides to marry her anyway. For that, he must first settle her Mafia maternal uncle and gain their approval, in the process, an amusing chain of events that is sure to crack you up.

4.Bade Miya Chote Miya: A 1998 action comedy directed by Varun Dhawan, starring Amitabh, Govinda, Raveena, and Ramya, is a hilarious entertainment ride. The plot portrays Amitabh and Govinda, Police Officers framed for crimes committed by their lookalikes, also mixing in their romantic life, causing a series of confusion, adding in the gangsters wanting each of the pair for different reasons, winding all in a whirlwind of humor.

5.Judwaa: A 1997 action comedy directed by David Dhawan starring Salmaan Khan in a double role alongside Karishma Kapoor and Rambha, and an elaborate cast of comedians like Kadar Khan, Satish Shah, Deepak Shirke, and actors like Anupam Kher and Mukesh Rishi. The story builds around identical twin brothers who are estranged at birth but cross paths in a strange manner, adding misidentification, creating confusion, and misunderstanding, you have a recipe for disorderly fun and comedy of errors. 

6.Amdani Athhani Kharcha Ruppaya: This 2001 film was directed by V. Sekhar. I revisit it when in the mood for slapstick comedy. With a whole lot of comic actors like Govinda, an actress known for her comic sense, Juhi Chawla,  Jhony Lever, Shakti Kapoor, Raju Shrivastav, Viju Khote, with an extensive cast including Tabbu, Ketaki Dave, Chandrachur Singh, Isha Kopikar, and Vinay Anand. The story portrays three bickering couples having a new neighbor, all middle-class families, and their struggle to make ends meet. With the husband's salary not being enough, when the wives decide to work alongside, it creates comic chaos in their husbands' reactions. This story is dark comedy in some parts and pure situational comedy at others, yet something that most would relate to and find themselves cracking up and getting emotional at the same time.

7.Hulchul (2004): A 2004 movie directed by Priyadarshan, my personal favourite Rom-com, given that the hero is Akshay Khanna alongside Kareena Kapoor. Combined with a strong cast including Paresh Rawal, Sunil Shetty, Arshad Warsi, Arbaaz Khan, Jakkie Shroff, Amrish Puri, and Shakti Kapoor, this movie is a frolic ride. The story unfolds with two rivaling families at loggerheads, but their youngest generation, while faking to take revenge, actually falls in love. And when they decide to convince their family, you go on an emotional ride with madcap mayhem.

8. 3 Idiots: A 2009 movie directed by Rajkumar Hirani is a coming-of-age satirical comedy, starring Amir Khan, R. Madhavan, and Sharman Joshi. I would say this is a movie catering to millennials and Gen-Z, as it shows the journey of 3 youngsters who became friends in college, separated later, and years later had a chance to reunite. The whole movie is a fun entertainer, hooking viewers on their emotions and relatability with the characters and moments of laughter in every corner of the memory lane. This movie became a hit among youngsters, with some classic dialogues that they recall, and if you want some friendship mixed with romance, comedy, satire, and nostalgia, this is your stop. 

9.Bombay to Goa (1972): This is a 1972 movie directed by S. Ramanatham starring Aruna Irani, Amitabh Bachchan, Mehmood, Shatrugan Sinha, Nazir Hussain, and Anwar Ali in lead roles. It's a road comedy film where Mala (Aruna Irani) witnesses a murder and boards a Goa bus to escape the killer. Her ride and interaction with the diverse characters she meets on the bus set off a situational comedy with adventure and social satire. 

10.Padosan: A classic 1968 romantic comedy, starring Sunil Dutt, Saira Banu, Kishore Kumar, and Mehmood; directed by Jyoti Swaroop. The plot revolves around Bhola, who falls in love with his neighbor, a fashionable young girl, opposite to him. The story is a chaotic combustion about Bhola and another suitor trying to woo Bindu, and who will win her heart at the end. If you are a fan of classic R.D. Burman musicals, this is something you should not miss. This harmonious humour would definitely be your re-run in times of tiredness. 

Well, apart from these, I feel that in any ’90s comedy movies, you have a combination of David Dhawan and Govinda, it's crazy fun, and adding Kadar Khan and Jhony Lever means you would have some comedy stops on the way. Well, apart from that, I would recommend the following movies, and one would definitely want to rewatch them. 

One would be ‘Mere Brother Ki Dulhan’, a rom-com where a comedy of errors uproar as a youngster is set to find a bride for his brother, and falls in love with her, given their previous connection. Once they acknowledge their feelings, the movie takes a hilarious turn in an attempt to make everything right and unite with everybody's blessing. Then there is the Stree series, the first one released in 2018, being the horror comedy that would take you on a gripping rollercoaster of tickles and jumpscares. ‘Bhool Bhulaiya’ is another one of my all-time favorite horror comedies that would unleash a comic chaos hidden behind the scary corners. 

Then there are ‘Golmal’ and the ‘Welcome franchise’, each having its own essence and elaborate cast of experienced comics who make the movie a joy ride filled with laughter, definitely motivating one to rewatch on a gloomy day. Hope you find your dose of constant laughter and comfort in the movies above. Until next time, keep laughing!

– P. Manika