Raja Babu

1994 161’ col/scope Hindi d David Dhawan pc Sapna Arts p Nandu

7. Tolani st/sc K. Bhagyaraj dial Anees

Bazmee lyr Sameer c Rajan Kinagi m Anand-Milind, Amar Haldipur lp Govinda, Karishma Kapoor, Shakti Kapoor, Aruna Irani, Gulshan Grover, Prem Chopra, Kadar Khan

The best-known example of the formula associated with Govinda’s starring roles. He plays Raja Babu, the spoilt and wayward son of the rich landlord Kishen Singh (Khan) and a doting mother (Irani). Raja seeks to seduce Madhu (K. Kapoor), which involves, among other stratagems, dressing up like Dharmendra in Dharam Veer (1977). Just before they are to marry Madhu discovers that Raja is illiterate and insults his father by publicly calling off the marriage. Later, Madhu changes her mind, but by then Raja has agreed to marry a girl chosen by his father. Later, Raja’s illegitimate birth and the ambitions of the evil Lakhan (Chopra), Raja’s Uncle, assisted by Lakhan’s son Banke (Grover), trigger the complicated climax as first Raja and then his mother get thrown out of the house before joining forces to defeat the crooks. The film became notorious for its two song hits Aa ee oo/mera dil na todo (with Govinda dressed as a Congress politician and chorus girls who sexily raise their severe white and blackbordered sarees associated with the female workers of the party) and Sarkailo khatiya, both of which led to a major censorship controversy following accusations of obscenity, mainly since they were extensively aired on satellite TV before being submitted to the Indian censor board.

Film