25. Do Dooni Panj; movie review

DO DOONI PANJ
Cert 12A
132 mins
BBFC advice: Contains suicide references

I wish I had £20 for every time someone has looked at me as if I were an alien when I go to watch an Indian movie.
At Vue Birmingham on Monday, the ticket-collector stared at me for what seemed an eternity when I presented my ticket for Do Dooni Panj.
"Yes, I know it's a Punjabi film," I said wearily. "Oh, I was just wondering..."
She hadn't finished her sentence as I slipped off towards screen 30 (Vue at Star City is one of the biggest cinemas in the country).
I presume the rather loud contingent at the back of the auditorium were equally curious about the white fella, eating his Subway flatbread down at the front.
Anyway, Harry Bhatti's movie is rather curious - attacking the very serious subject of wasted education  through comedy.
While there was much guffawing in the back rows, I found the humour misplaced.
Do Dooni Panj stars Zach Galifianakis-lookalike Amrit Maan whose character has a Phd but cannot find a job to match his qualifications.
This causes problems at home where he is condemned by his family as a loafer and with his girlfriend  (Isha Rikhi) who needs evidence of potential income before she can marry him.
Thus, he turns to drink and his situation drifts from bad to worse.
This prompts him into action - to sue his school for 12 years of paid-for education which has failed to deliver on his teachers' promises.
Despite the incompetence of his lawyers, a judge decides to allow the case to be heard. But, boy, what a bizarre one it turns out to be.
And I was left perplexed as what conclusion it drew.
Ultimately, as in the UK, hundreds of thousands of young people are persuaded to pay for an education but there only a finite number of well-paid jobs.
The consequence is that graduates are filling even the most mundane of post. That isn't funny and I can't see how a clumsy Punjabi comedy will change things.

Reasons to watch: Clearly Punjabis in our audience found it funny
Reasons to avoid: Its subject matter isn't much of a joke

Laughs: None from me - many for those seated behind me
Jumps: None
Vomit: None
Nudity: None
Overall rating: 5.5/10

Did you know? In 2017, of more than 200,000 candidates who competed for 1,137 police constable vacancies in Mumbai, 423 had degrees in engineering, 167 were Masters in Business Administration and 543 were post-graduates while the basic qualification required for the post was the equivalent of an A-level pass).

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