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Bunty Aur Babli
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Shaad Ali
Written by	Jaideep Sahni
Story by	Aditya Chopra
Produced by	Aditya Chopra
Starring	Amitabh Bachchan Abhishek Bachchan Rani Mukerji
Narrated by	Amitabh Bachchan
Cinematography	Avik Mukhopadhyay
Edited by	Ritesh Soni
Music by	Shankar–Ehsaan–Loy
Production company	Yash Raj Films
Distributed by	Yash Raj Films
Release date	May 27, 2005 (2005-05-27) (India)
Running time	177 minutes
Country	India
Language	Hindi
Budget	₹14 crore
Box office	₹90.4 crore (equivalent to₹307 crore or US$36 million in 2023)[1]

Bunty Aur Babli (transl.Bunty and Babli) is a 2005 IndianHindi-languagecrimecomedy film directed byShaad Ali, written byJaideep Sahni from a story byAditya Chopra, and produced by Chopra underYash Raj Films. The film starsAbhishek Bachchan andRani Mukerji as the titular con artists, withAmitabh Bachchan in a supporting role as a police officer tracking them across India.^[2] Inspired by the 1967 American filmBonnie and Clyde, the narrative follows two small-town dreamers who team up to pull off a series of cons under the aliases Bunty and Babli, gaining notoriety across the country.^[3]

The film marked the first on-screen collaboration between Amitabh and Abhishek Bachchan, and one of several pairings of Bachchan Jr. and Mukerji.Principal photography took place across various locations in India. The music was composed byShankar–Ehsaan–Loy, with lyrics byGulzar andBlaaze.

Bunty Aur Babli was theatrically released on 27 May 2005, and received positive reviews from critics who praised the direction, screenplay, costumes, music, and lead performances. The film emerged as a major commercial success, grossing ₹904 million (US$11 million) worldwide, and became thesecond highest-grossing Indian film of the year.

At the51st Filmfare Awards, the film received eight nominations, includingBest Film,Best Actor (Abhishek Bachchan),Best Actress (Mukerji), andBest Supporting Actor (Amitabh Bachchan), winning three:Best Music Director (Shankar–Ehsaan–Loy),Best Lyricist (Gulzar), andBest Female Playback Singer (Alisha Chinai), the latter two for the song "Kajra Re".

The film was later remade in Telugu asBhale Dongalu (2008).^[4] It's sequel,Bunty Aur Babli 2 was released theatrically on 19 November 2021. Mukerji reprised her role withSaif Ali Khan replacing Abhishek Bachchan.Siddhant Chaturvedi andSharvari Wagh joined as a new pair of con artists.^[5]

Rakesh Trivedi, a young man from the small village of Fursatganj, dreams of achieving great success and is constantly devising new business ideas. His father, a railway ticket collector, wants him to pursue a stable government job, but Rakesh is determined to escape a conventional life. After being given an ultimatum by his father, he leaves home to pursue his ambitions.

In another village, Pankinagar, Vimmi Saluja aspires to becomeMiss India and dreams of a glamorous life, despite her parents arranging her marriage to a conventional suitor. Rejecting their plans, she also runs away from home.

Rakesh and Vimmi meet at a railway station and quickly bond over their shared aspirations. They attempt to pursue their dreams in separate ways—Rakesh by pitching business ideas, and Vimmi by entering the Miss India pageant—but both face exploitation and rejection. After being deceived by a businessman who steals Rakesh’s idea, the duo con him in retaliation. Realizing the potential of con artistry, they adopt the aliases "Bunty" and "Babli" and begin executing elaborate scams across the country.

Disguising themselves as religious leaders, bureaucrats, investors, and tour guides, they carry out a series of flamboyant cons that capture nationwide attention. As their notoriety grows, so does their relationship, and they eventually marry.

Their exploits attract the attention of JCP Dashrath Singh, a stern police officer committed to capturing them. As Singh closes in, Bunty and Babli decide to abandon their criminal lifestyle for the sake of their newborn child. However, Singh eventually catches them. Moved by their genuine remorse and their desire to reform, he releases them, believing their criminal lives to be over.

Three years later, Singh offers them a second chance—as government operatives working to uncover and stop other con artists, giving their skills a new purpose in service of the law.

• Amitabh Bachchan asJCP Dashrath Singh
• Abhishek Bachchan as Rakesh Trivedi / Bunty
• Rani Mukerji as Vimmi Saluja / Babli
• Raj Babbar as T. T. Chandra P. Trivedi, Bunty's father
• Talluri Rameswari as Mrs. Trivedi, Bunty's mother
• Puneet Issar as Mr. Saluja, Babli's father
• Kiran Juneja as Mrs. Saluja, Babli's mother
• Pratima Kazmi as Phool Sakhi
• Prem Chopra as the Sikh Truck Driver
• Rajesh Vivek as Protestor
• Ranjeet as Showroom Manager
• Ravi Baswani as Hotel Owner inMussoorie
• Sanjay Mishra as Q. Q. Qureshi
• Virendra Saxena as Police Commissioner
• Yunus Parvez as Hotel Owner
• Anupam Shyam as Raj Kapoor Tiwari
• Brijendra Kala as Mehmood Bilal
• J. Brandon Hill as Harry Epstein
• Kunal Kumar as Newspaper Salesman
• Lilliput as a trumpet player
• Shiamak Davar as a dancer in the song 'Nach Baliye' (special appearance)
• Shaad Ali in a special appearance in the title song
• Aishwarya Rai Bachchan as a bar dancer in the song 'Kajra Re' (special appearance)

The narrative was loosely inspired by the 1967 American filmBonnie and Clyde, though adapted into a distinctly Indian setting, combining crime and comedy through the journey of two small-town dreamers who become notorious con artists.

To portray the spirited character of Rakesh "Bunty" Trivedi,Abhishek Bachchan underwent a significant physical transformation, reportedly losing around 12 kilograms.^[6]

Hrithik Roshan was offered the role of Bunty. However, after he rejected the role, Abhishek Bachchan was cast.^[7]

Abhishek Bachchan andRani Mukerji were cast in the lead roles as Bunty and Babli, respectively.Amitabh Bachchan was cast as JCP Dashrath Singh, a police officer determined to catch the duo. This marked the first time the father-son duo, Amitabh and Abhishek Bachchan, appeared together on screen.^[8]

Costume designerAki Narula created an iconic look for Mukerji, outfitting her character in vibrant shortkurtis andPatiala salwars. The bold and colorful styling not only matched Babli's vivacious personality but also sparked a major fashion trend across India following the film’s release.^[9][10][11]

Principal photography took place across several Indian cities includingKanpur, where scenes were shot at Thaggu Ke Laddu, Bada Chauraha, and theKanpur Central Railway Station.^[12]Varanasi provided spiritual and cultural texture, with sequences shot at Nandeshwar Ghat.^[13]

Agra served as a romantic backdrop with theTaj Mahal featured in key scenes, while additional scenes were filmed atFilm City, Mumbai.^[14][15]

Bunty Aur Babli emerged as a major commercial success. Released on 27 May 2005, the film grossed approximately ₹904 million (US$11 million) worldwide, making it thesecond highest-grossing Indian film of the year, behindNo Entry.^[2] It performed strongly in both domestic and international markets, with the popular soundtrack and the hit song "Kajra Re" contributing to its box office appeal. The film also enjoyed sustained popularity through television broadcasts and home media.

Bunty Aur Babli received generally positive reviews from critics, who praised its energetic performances, witty script, music, and vibrant styling.Namrata Joshi ofOutlook describedAbhishek Bachchan as “perfect as Bunty” and notedRani Mukerji's ease in playing to the gallery. She also laudedAmitabh Bachchan’s performance and the widely appreciated item number “Kajra Re.”^[16]Sukanya Verma ofRediff.com called the film “a delicious dessert” and praised its blend ofBonnie and Clyde (1967) andCatch Me If You Can (2002), noting that the film “wouldn't be the same without Abhishek and Mukerji’s enthusiastic performances.”^[17]

Sudhish Kamath ofThe Hindu said the film “totally banks on charm” and succeeds due to its colorful characters and charismatic leads.^[18] Avijit Ghosh ofThe Telegraph praised the film's portrayal of “splintered yearnings of small-town India,” calling it an ambitious and largely successful effort.^[19]

Bunty Aur Babli not only made an impact at the box office but also left a significant cultural imprint. The stylized portrayal of con artists inspired several real-life criminal cases across India, where individuals cited the film as an influence on their methods.

One notable incident involved Sushant and Kajal, a married couple fromDarjeeling, who used a photo frame scam to defraud businesses and explicitly referenced the film when caught.^[20] Another couple, Suresh and Rekha, mirrored the film’s tactics in their fraudulent activities and admitted to drawing inspiration from the characters.^[21] In yet another case, Shahnaaz Bano and her brother-in-law Sajid Ahmed were arrested for using disguises to shoplift and smuggle luxury items, echoing Bunty and Babli’s methods.^[22]

The soundtrack forBunty Aur Babli was composed by the musical trioShankar–Ehsaan–Loy, with lyrics byGulzar andBlaaze. It was released on 15 April 2005 under the Yash Raj Music label.^[23] Initially,A. R. Rahman was approached to compose the music, having previously collaborated with directorShaad Ali onSaathiya (2002), but he declined due to scheduling conflicts.^[24]

The album featured energetic dance numbers and romantic tracks, performed onscreen by lead actorsAbhishek Bachchan andRani Mukerji. The song "Kajra Re", featuringAishwarya Rai in a special appearance alongside the Bachchans, became a major hit and was especially praised for its choreography and visual appeal.

According toBox Office India, the soundtrack sold approximately 1.9 million units, making it the second highest-selling Hindi film album of 2005.^[25]

Lyrics byGulzar except where noted.

The music ofBunty Aur Babli received widespread acclaim from critics, who praised its originality, energy, and lyrical composition.Sukanya Verma ofRediff.com described the album as "over-the-top, uninhibited, rustic and teasing," calling it “one helluva musical masala.”^[26]

Joginder Tuteja ofBollywood Hungama noted the departure from traditional Yash Raj musical stylings, writing, “Bunty Aur Babli does not contain your routineYash Chopra genre of music choreographed around the meadows andSwiss Alps. They are more of situational rhythmic tracks that take a story forward.”^[27]

Glamsham highlighted the contribution of lyricistGulzar, noting, “Throughout this zany, zingy and zippy album, the 70-year-old Gulzar imbues a youthfulness that comes from being young at heart... You can't miss its zest for life or its lunge towards a luscious nirvana obtained from looking at life through rose-tinted glasses.”^[28]

In December 2019,Yash Raj Films announced a sequel titledBunty Aur Babli 2, directed by Varun V. Sharma and produced byAditya Chopra. The film starredSaif Ali Khan andRani Mukerji as the original Bunty and Babli, alongsideSiddhant Chaturvedi and debutanteSharvari Wagh as a new con duo.^[44][45] Initially scheduled for release on 26 June 2020, the film was delayed due to theCOVID-19 pandemic and was eventually released theatrically on 19 November 2021.^[46]

Although set 16 years after the events of the original, the character of Bunty was portrayed by Khan, replacingAbhishek Bachchan.^[47] Upon release, the sequel received mostly negative reviews from critics and underperformed at the box office.

Rani Mukerji’s performance inBunty Aur Babli has been cited as one of the most notable of her career.^[48][49] Her portrayal of Babli became widely popular, and the character was later named byRediff.com as one of Bollywood's most beloved characters.^[50] The on-screen pairing of Mukerji and Abhishek Bachchan was also recognized byBollywood Hungama, which listed them among the top 10 best romantic couples of the decade.^[51]

The film’s soundtrack enjoyed widespread popularity, with songs like “Kajra Re” becoming major chart-toppers. The song was voted as the best song of 2005 by listeners of three South African Indian radio stations.^[52] The film’s influence extended internationally; Japanese manga artistHidekaz Himaruya, creator ofHetalia, embedded the video for “Dhadak Dhadak” on his blog, leading to a surge of fan interest in the track.^[53]

Bunty Aur Babli was remade in Telugu asBhale Dongalu in 2008, starringTarun,Ileana D'Cruz, andJagapathi Babu. In 2013,Time Out placed the film at number 63 in its list of “The 100 Best Bollywood Movies.”^[54]

• Bunty Aur Babli atIMDb 

• 2005 films
• 2005 crime comedy films
• 2000s Hindi-language films
• Films about con artists
• Films directed by Shaad Ali
• Films scored by Shankar–Ehsaan–Loy
• Films set in Kanpur
• Films set in Uttar Pradesh
• Films shot in Lucknow
• Films shot in Mussoorie
• Indian comedy road movies
• Hindi films remade in other languages
• Indian crime comedy films
• Yash Raj Films films

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