In a new edition of his series This Day That Year, Subhash K Jha revisits David Dhawan’s Partner, which released in 2007 and starred Salman Khan and Govinda. We also hear from the director and Govinda in throwback interviews about the making of the comedy.
David Dhawan’s films are predominantly about male bonding. If it was Govinda and Sanjay Dutt in Haseena Maan Jayegi and Ek Aur Ek Gyarah, the new hit jodi is Govinda and Salman in the slickly-packaged Partner.
But there is a difference. The focus has shifted somewhat from the irrepressible Govinda to shirtless Salman.
Here’s something to think about – Why is Salman Khan named Sameer or Prem in every other film? But he sure is super-cool as the love guru Prem in the latest laugh riot, inspired completely by Hollywood comedy Hitch. Salman not only gives Will Smith a run for his money, he also matches step with Govinda on the elaborately choreographed sets with Sajid-Wajid’s music embracing Bhandra-reggae and hip-hop. Locked away far from reality, writer Sanjay Chhel’s punning skills are legendary. He gives both his heroes great comic lines.
The best thing about Partner is the wonderful chemistry between Salman and Govinda – whether they share jokes, jibes, or discuss love.
The bonding is littered with broad bacchanalia. You get a feeling of attending a beach party – similar to the one in Dhawan’s Mujhse Shaadi Karoge starring Salman and Akshay Kumar.
The actresses are surprisingly spirited and upfront. Lara Dutta is specially outstanding as a single mother training her journalistic camera on funny man Rajpal Yadav, who plays Chota Don – an amusing mixture of Amitabh Bachchan and Shah Rukh Khan in the two versions of Don.
The film’s fun quotient is heightened through several devious devices like the late entry of child artist Ali Haji of Fanaa fame who dunks Salman into dyed water.
Salman has always had fun with kids on screen. Remember Jab Pyar Kissi Se Jota Hai with Aditya Narayan? Not much had changed since that film five years earlier. Salman is still fun, feisty and flirtatious. Govinda certainly has turned a corner. He does confident parodies of his old collaborations with David Dhawan, takes ghoulish delight in tormenting his screen-buddy by his antics and has a whale of time himself.
When Partner was declared a roaring hit across the country, David Dhawan was determined to do a sequel. Delighted by the response, David said to Subhash K Jha, “It’s an unqualified success across from Kanyakumri to Bihar. And second-day collections are even better than the first. I knew people would love the Salman-Govinda jodi. But to this extent! People are going crazy over the honeymoon climax…Actually, it’s a bonus climax after the other wedding climax in the film. I had decided on a sequel even before Partner release. Audiences will kill us if we don’t oblige. It’s too early to say what kind of a sequel it would be. But Govinda and Salman will be back together. We could very well call it Tom & Jerry. Or we could call it Carry On, Partner.”
One of David Dhawan’s most successful films Partner , released on July 20, 2007, was planned as two films. But the sequel never happened, as Govinda was not very happy with his role.
In an interview with this writer after the release of Partner Govinda had said, “Seriously, I don’t want this kind of murky competition. It’s hampering my career. Haven’t Shah Rukh and Salman worked together in Karan Arjun and Hum Tumhare Hain Sanam? Nobody pitched them together because people close to them don’t want them to be at loggerheads. Even I want that kind of a peaceful atmosphere around me. I’m fed up of being on tenterhooks because of such undue comparisons with co-stars. I don’t know why people keep pitching me against my co-stars. This isn’t helping my attempts to re-establish myself. They become very conscious of my presence. I made no efforts to steal the scene from anyone. ”
Said Govinda, “Partner with Salman has been a very satisfying experience. I want to avoid this competitive feeling coming up this time. David Dhawan knows what Salman and I are about. He has worked so many times with both of us. He has given Salman the singing dancing and action. I get to do the comedy. So our domain is pre-divided. Can we avoid comparisons, please? But after Partner there’ll be a longish gap before my next release because I haven’t signed anything. But with Salman in it, Partner is a hit.
Adding, “I’m grateful to not just Salman but his entire family. In today’s times who would spend crores making a big-budget film with an outsider like me? I don’t want my relations with them to be spoilt with the same old ghisa-pita comparisons. Because what Salmanbhai can do, I can’t.”
