As I sat down to watch yet another satire based in Delhi, I hoped for something more than the usual jokes that lampoon men with vulgar expressions and women with heavy behinds and low-cut blouses. Fortunately, I heaved a sigh of relief only a few minutes into the movie, as 'Delhi In A Day' was a welcome change. 

What's it about?

The film is about an elite South Delhi family who are expecting a foreign visitor. Surrounded by an army of servants, uppity Kalpana (Lillete Dubey) and her very Punjabi husband, Mukund (Khulbushan Kharbanda) face a tricky situation when their guest Jasper (Lee Williams), finds all his money stolen. The family now, has little time to find the culprit and the money, as Jasper is in town for only a day.

The film provides an interesting insight into the lives of servants of rich households in the capital.  The scenes in which they mimick their owners make for more than a few laughs.

Dubey gets full marks. She's the quintessential Delhi socialitie wearing noodle-strap blouses and shimmery saris, force-feeding her guests and bossing around the servants. Kharbanda as the stereotypical rich Punjabi husband is entertaining and his habit of telling jokes at the drop of a hat and drinking heavily reminds you of uncles back home.

Delhi in a Day

Victor Banerjee as Dubey's father, and the only one in the family who speaks at a tolerable decibel level, does his best to portray the retired professor. Anjali Patil makes a noteworthy debut as a household servant. Her restrained performance, as she interacts with Jasper and the way she opens up to the other servants in the house, shows that there's potential in this one. We particularly enjoyed the scene where she dances for the servants to 'Tu Ganga Ki Mauj.

Williams as the guest looks mostly amused, if not confused, for most of the film. Even though he's one of the chief protagonists, his performance is overshadowed by that of the other actors.

But visually, 'Delhi in a Day' is a disappointment. The film hardly showcases anything other than shots of the Red Fort, the bylanes of Old Delhi and Rashtrapati Bhavan.

What to do?

With a decent story and believable characters, this film is definitely worth a watch. It will remind you of another one of those lazy days in Delhi, that unexpectedly, turns interesting.

in.com rating: 3/5

For more reviews, news, photos and videos of the film, click here.