PK: Why watching Rajkumar Hirani's films are never a waste of time

What's common between "jaadu ki jhappi", "Gandhigiri" and "all is well"? All of these phrases were used in films and became so popular that we have used them in our daily lives many times. The latest to add to the list could be "wrong number". There is one more, perhaps the most important thread between all of these words -- Rajkumar Hirani. The man behind Munnabhai MBBS, Lage Raho Munnabhai, 3 Idiots and now PK. You can rank his films in whatever order you want but even his lowest ranked film would be better than most Bollywood blockbusters. Hirani has the ability to show a mirror to the society but he weaves it in such an manner that it can never offend anyone (barring those few who get offended with everything in the world). Every film of his has a socially relevant message yet it is told in a feel-good, comical and entertaining manner and doesn't seem preachy at all. After all, who goes to the theatre to be preached at. Especially in times when everyone thinks they know it all. Rajkumar Hirani manages to hit the right chord every time, be it in Munnabhai MBBS when a local goon gets into a medical college and points out all that is wrong in the strictly professional, no-emotions-attached way of treating patients and shows us how magical a simple hug can be, or when he shows us how long forgotten Gandhian principles are timeless in this day and age, too.

Who would have thought of learning Gandhi's ways from a goon who knew only one way of sorting a situation out -- violence. Or focusing on the Indian education system and the pressure that parents put on their children in the most hilarious yet emotional way.

Yes, you may think that at times, his stories overlook logic and seem a bit unreal or overstated but then do you really care when you've laughed and cried throughout the film and still taken home a message to ponder. And talking about logic, almost all the "big blockbusters" these days give a damn about it anyway.

Rajkumar's latest offering, PK, is a film that interprets religion and beliefs through an outsider's eyes. PK, an alien, is like a child who tries to understand the ways of the world. A normal child has parents or other people around to tell him about the world, god, religion, etc. and so what he understands is mainly what people around him believe in. But PK is on his own, so what he understands about God and religion makes the film what it is -- purely entertaining; at the same time, it raises a few essential questions. The film doesn't completely deny the existence of God. For PK, God is a belief that gives him hope but anything other than that is a charade created by human beings. Rajkumar Hirani knows very well how to prove his point in a way that neither sounds preachy nor seems forced. He is a master of his craft but let's not forget Abhijat Joshi, who is also the man behind the screenplay of Lage Raho Munnabhai, 3 Idiots and now PK. Let's hope the Hirani-Joshi pair gives us many more such films and lovable characters, be it Munna or Rancho or our alien PK. After all, watching a Rajkumar Hirani film can never be a bhaste of time!