20 years of Haseena Maan Jaayegi: 5 hilarious moments from the Govinda and Sanjay Dutt caper

Filmmaker David Dhawan and actor Govinda formed a deadly combination through the 1990s and early 2000s. The duo also collaborated with Sanjay Dutt from time to time.

Dhawan brought the two actors together for the first time in his second film as director, Taaqatwar (1989). But Dhawan, Govinda and Dutt collaborated on a madcap entertainer for the first time in Haseena Maan Jaayegi (1999). The trio joined hands twice again with Jodi No 1 (2001) and Ek Aur Ek Gyarah (2003).

But Haseena Maan Jaayegi remains one of David Dhawan’s best. The film saw Dutt and Govinda play the spoilt sons, Sonu and Monu, of rich businessman Seth Amirchand (Kader Khan). The two fall for sisters Pooja (Pooja Batra) and Ritu (Karisma Kapoor), respectively.

When Sonu and Monu are forced to stay at their girlfriends’ place, confusion ensues, dragging the women's father Gulzarilal (Anupam Kher) and his unmarried sister Santho (Aruna Irani) into it.

Haseena Maan Jaayegi was released 20 years ago today. We recall five hilarious moments from the film. Of course they are all farcically over the top. But then this is a David Dhawan comedy. What else did you expect?

Non-existent Chachaji

Haseena Maan Jayegi saw Govinda perform a double role as his imaginary uncle (addressed in the film as Chachaji). Govinda was not only convincing as an older man but also funny. In fact, after a while, you find yourself laughing the moment the Chachaji character appears. One of the best moments is when Govinda strikes up a conversation between Monu and Chachaji playing both characters simultaneously. This is exactly how theatre artistes do it and the scene speaks volumes for the star's talent. 

Overcrowded bathroom

Govinda played his own uncle in the film to fix the marriage of brother Sonu (Sanjay Dutt) with his lady love Pooja (Batra). But every time he gets into the character of the imaginary uncle, Santho (Aruna Irani), the paternal aunt of Pooja and Ritu (Karisma Kapoor), is attracted to him, believing he likes her. Her suspicion gets a boost when Chachaji is once forced to seek refuge in her bathroom.

The way the entire cast lands up in the bathroom and learns of Chachaji’s presence in Santho's room is hilarious. Chachaji's nonchalant quip, ‘O yaar, sab log ek saath ek bathroom mein kyun aa gaye? Iss ghar mein aur bhi bathroom thay,’ is the icing on the cake. (Scene begins at 1:59:42)

Diet tiffin carrier

Some things can happen only in a David Dhawan comedy. For instance, in this film, Seth Amirchand (Kader Khan) throws his sons Sonu and Monu out of the house with just Rs50 between them. Generally such a situation would be tragic, but here it is funny. 

After managing to get just one masala dosa, the brothers decide to barter it for a large tiffin carrier brought by their father’s manager Kunj Bihari (Satish Kaushik). Tragically for Sonu and Monu and funnily for the audience, each of the three compartments of the tiffin carrier contains just a biscuit.

Outlandish bungalow

This is the first scene where Monu pretends to be his own imaginary uncle Chachaji. As per plan, he fakes being a billionaire and goes to the extent of claiming that his bungalow is so large that one needs a motorcycle to travel from one room to another. He also claims that a cousin who got lost in the house in childhood was found only recently in old age. The claim was so outlandish that it is remembered till today. 

It would be unfair not to mention the excellent performance of Paresh Rawal not only in this scene but in various others. His portrayal of the stereotypical Nepalese security guard was excellent. 

Interestingly, Dhawan’s own Coolie No 1 (1995) had Govinda pretending to be a millionaire to impress the heroine's father (Kader Khan on that occasion). 

Hilarious end

A dreaded gangster (Ashish Vidyarthi) takes Amirchand (Kader Khan), Kunj Bihari (Kaushik) and Gulzarilal (Kher) captive. But who would have thought the gangster would stick the heads of his prisoners through cardboard holes and decorate them with balloons like in a village fair? Dhawan often has this habit of doing something unexpectedly crazy. But the humour it gives rise to ensures you don’t mind it one bit. 

In the end, Govinda says Amirchand and Gulzarilal look like Kader Khan and Anupam Kher, respectively, but Kunj Bihari looks like a junior artiste from South Indian films. This scene is the perfectly hilarious ending for the film.