I kept wondering if Vir Das drew inspiration from the American sitcom Scrubs while making Happy Patel. The movie shares many traits with Zach Braff's show: quick cutaways, numerous throwaway jokes, and a tendency towards sweetness. This style of busy, self-aware comedy has a strong tradition in American film and television. In India, however, it remains rare. That makes Happy Patel something of a curiosity, as foreign-returned as its main character.
A Chaotic Start in Goa
The film kicks off with two British agents attempting an extraction in Goa. Their mission goes horribly wrong when local don Mario, played by producer Aamir Khan who clearly enjoys himself, crashes the party. The agents barely escape, taking with them Happy, the baby son of their domestic worker caught in the crossfire. This prologue is pure farce, funny while it lasts. Yet, it lacks the emotional weight to establish a clear throughline for the film. The daughter of Mario, who is fatally shot, vows revenge on Happy. The agents adopt Happy and raise him in England.
Rapid Setup and Introduction
If the goal was to get Happy to India quickly, co-writer Amogh Ranadive and co-director Kavi Shastri succeed admirably. In no time, Happy, portrayed by Vir Das, undergoes India training at 'MI7'. This includes bargaining over groceries and watching Shah Rukh Khan movies, all essential skills. Soon, he arrives in Goa. He meets his contact, Geet, played by Sharib Hashmi. He also encounters the far more competent Roxy, portrayed by Srushti Tawde, who rents him a dusty apartment. Happy instantly falls in love with Rupa, played by Mithila Palkar, who dances as poorly as he performs as a secret agent.
Comic Weight on Language Mishaps
The idea that Happy learned Hindi in just a few weeks carries much of the film's humor. Every line he speaks contains a mistake or a malapropism. For example, 'gorey' meaning white becomes 'ghodey' meaning horse, and 'chhath' meaning roof becomes something else entirely. The film emphasizes this by including all errors in the subtitles, which only makes them funnier. On the flip side, recurring gags start to wear thin. Happy pronounces 'tum' as 'tom', leading to appearances by a white man named Tom. A parodic jingle for his catering venture in England plays whenever he cooks anything. These elements feel too much like American sitcoms and become grating over time.
Another Memorable Female Don in Goa
Following Chhaya Kadam's Kanchan Kombdi in Madgaon Express, Happy Patel introduces another unique female don in Goa. Mona Singh plays Mama, an unsmiling tyrant who sells fairness cream and watches Sanjeev Kapoor. The unassuming Happy believes his mission is to rescue a skincare scientist held captive by Mama. In reality, it's a setup. This whole plotline seems to exist mainly to allow for an Imran Khan cameo, which the film's promotions eagerly teased. A perpetually disappointed villain always brings laughs, even though the messy final confrontation wastes both Singh and Das's talents.
Final Impressions and Comparisons
I chuckled throughout Happy Patel and appreciated its more outlandish moments. Yet, the lasting impression is that I watched two hours of decent sketch comedy rather than a cohesive comic feature. Comparisons to Delhi Belly, produced by Aamir Khan and featuring Vir Das in 2011, are inevitable. That film felt more complete. So did Tere Bin Laden from 2010 and Madgaon Express, along with other flights of silliness. Happy Patel possesses considerable charm and plenty of jokes. However, I always felt the structure was in danger of collapsing.
