Shah Rukh Khan earned most of his fame for the romantic potboilers he often did but critics and moviegoers always liked him more when he played the ordinary middle-class guy. Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa, Yes Boss, and even earlier, Raju Ban Gaya Gentleman, had him playing exactly that character archetype and oh well he is so good at it. While this film got neither the tremendous acclaim of Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa, indeed a great classic, not the mainstream recognition of Yes Boss, it is a good, good film which is definitely worth watching.
Raju Ban Gaya Gentleman shares many plot elements with Raj Kapoor's all-time classic Shree 420 (1955). Here too we see a young, educated man arriving in the big city in the hopes of finding a job and a better future. He meets a wonderful young woman who supports him all through but loses himself in the big world in spite of the great financial and professional success he attains. Indeed, Khan is Raj Kapoor to Chawla's Nargis, and Amrita Singh is the modern, less stereotypical answer to Nadira's vicious Maya in Shree 420.
This film is directed by Aziz Mirza, that competent director who never got his due but who gave Khan some brilliant opportunities which far outrank the many blockbusters he appeared in (which weren't bad but just not as good). The film is interesting, authentic and involving, and the story keeps one's interest all through. It feels very much like middle-of-the-road cinema - a mainstream film which provides a message on the social structure of the times. I wish more films had adopted a similar format back in the day.
Khan is excellent. Playing that ordinary man in search of happiness and opportunities, he's devoid of all the mannerisms that he would become so famous for and is utterly convincing in a sensibly restrained and realistic performance. He just seems to have a feeling for this type of characters, and his charismatic presence only helps. The more I watch Juhi Chawla, the more I appreciate her wonderful presence. Chawla according to me always formed the best romantic pairing with Khan, and she's very credible here. Her persistent touch of comic timing does well to elevate her role.
Among the supporting actors, Nana Patekar is fantastic as he always is with his great delivery. Amrita Singh, also an actress with great screen presence, does well as she did in most of her films in a negative role which is not a caricature. Other attractions in this film include Jatin-Lalit's music, particularly that beautiful song "Kehti Hai Dil Ki Lagi", which I like till today. Indeed, Raju Ban Gaya Gentleman holds nostalgic value, for sure, but it's a good film in and of itself, which boasts of great performances, a well-written script, and altogether an engaging, thought-provoking film.
