Bunty Aur Babli
| 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 | |
| Distributed by | Yash Raj Films |
Release date |
|
Running time | 177 minutes |
| Country | India |
| Language | Hindi |
| Box office | ₹63.20 crore[1] |
Bunty Aur Babli (Bunty and Babli) is a 2005 Indian Hindi-language crime comedy film directed by Shaad Ali, written by Jaideep Sahni and produced by Aditya Chopra and Yash Chopra under Yash Raj Films.[2] The film stars Abhishek Bachchan and Rani Mukerji, with Amitabh Bachchan, Rameshwari Talluri, Puneet Issar, Pratima Kazmi and Sanjay Mishra among others in a supporting roles. The movie is heavily inspired by the 1967 American film Bonnie and Clyde.[3]
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 the second highest-grossing Indian film of the year.
At the 51st Filmfare Awards, the film received eight nominations, including Best Film, Best Actor (Abhishek Bachchan), Best Actress (Mukerji), and Best Supporting Actor (Amitabh Bachchan), winning three: Best Music Director (Shankar–Ehsaan–Loy), Best Lyricist (Gulzar), and Best Female Playback Singer (Alisha Chinai), the latter two for the song "Kajra Re".
The film was later remade in Telugu as Bhale Dongalu (2008).[4] Its sequel, Bunty Aur Babli 2 was released theatrically on 19 November 2021. Mukerji reprised her role with Saif Ali Khan replacing Abhishek Bachchan. Siddhant Chaturvedi and Sharvari Wagh joined as a new pair of con artists.[5]
Plot
[edit]![[icon]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Wiki_letter_w_cropped.svg){kind=small} | This section is empty. You can help by adding to it. (June 2026) |
Cast
[edit]- Amitabh Bachchan[6] as JCP Dashrath Singh
- Abhishek Bachchan as Rakesh Trivedi / Bunty[6]
- Rani Mukerji as Vimmi Saluja / Babli[6]
- Raj Babbar as T. T. Chandra P. Trivedi, Bunty's father[7]
- Talluri Rameswari as Mrs. Trivedi, Bunty's mother
- Puneet Issar as Mr. Saluja, Babli's father[7]
- Kiran Juneja as Mrs. Saluja, Babli's mother
- Pratima Kazmi as Phool Sakhi[7]
- Prem Chopra as the Sikh Truck Driver[7]
- Rajesh Vivek Upadhyay as Protestor
- Ranjeet Bedi as Showroom Manager
- Ravi Baswani as Hotel Owner in Mussoorie
- 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
- Lilliput as a trumpet player
- Aishwarya Rai Bachchan as a bar dancer in the song 'Kajra Re' (special appearance)
Production
[edit]Development
[edit]The narrative was loosely inspired by the 1967 American film Bonnie and Clyde, though adapted into a distinctly Indian setting.[3]
To portray the character of Rakesh "Bunty" Trivedi, Abhishek Bachchan underwent a significant physical transformation, reportedly losing around 12 kilograms.[8]
Casting
[edit]Hrithik Roshan was offered the role of Bunty. However, after he rejected the role, Abhishek Bachchan was cast.[9]
Reception
[edit]Box office
[edit]Bunty Aur Babli grossed approximately ₹904 million (US$11 million) worldwide, making it the second highest-grossing Indian film of the year, behind No Entry.[10]
Critical response
[edit]Bunty Aur Babli received generally positive reviews from critics. Jaspreet Pandohar of the BBC calls the film having "more energy than a dozen Duracell bunnies" and notes the lack of screen time for the pair.[11]
Soundtrack
[edit]| Bunty Aur Babli | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Soundtrack album by | ||||
| Released | 15 April 2005 (India) | |||
| Recorded | 2004 | |||
| Genre | Feature film soundtrack | |||
| Length | 37:09 | |||
| Label | Yash Raj Music | |||
| Producers | Yash Chopra Aditya Chopra | |||
| Shankar–Ehsaan–Loy chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Singles from Bunty Aur Babli | ||||
| ||||
The soundtrack for Bunty Aur Babli was composed by the musical trio Shankar–Ehsaan–Loy, with lyrics by Gulzar and Blaaze. It was released on 15 April 2005 under the Yash Raj Music label.[12] Initially, A. R. Rahman was approached to compose the music, having previously collaborated with director Shaad Ali on Saathiya (2002), but he declined due to scheduling conflicts.[13]
The album featured energetic dance numbers and romantic tracks, performed onscreen by lead actors Abhishek Bachchan and Rani Mukerji. The song "Kajra Re", featuring Aishwarya Rai in a special appearance alongside the Bachchans, became a major hit and was especially praised for its choreography and visual appeal.
According to Box Office India, the soundtrack sold approximately 1.9 million units, making it the second highest-selling Hindi film album of 2005.[14]
Track listing
[edit]Lyrics by Gulzar except where noted.
| No. | Title | Singer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Dhadak Dhadak" | Udit Narayan, Sunidhi Chauhan, Nihira Joshi | 6:33 |
| 2. | "Chup Chup Ke" | Sonu Nigam, Mahalakshmi Iyer | 7:13 |
| 3. | "Nach Baliye" | Shankar Mahadevan, Sowmya Raoh, Loy Mendonsa | 6:02 |
| 4. | "Bunty Aur Babli" | Sukhwinder Singh, Jaspinder Narula | 5:42 |
| 5. | "B N B (Lyrics by Blaaze)" | Shankar Mahadevan, Blaaze, Loy Mendonsa | 3:38 |
| 6. | "Kajra Re" | Alisha Chinai, Shankar Mahadevan, Javed Ali | 8:02 |
| Total length: | 37:09 | ||
Reception
[edit]The music of Bunty Aur Babli received widespread acclaim from critics, who praised its originality, energy, and lyrical composition. Sukanya Verma of Rediff.com described the album as "over-the-top, uninhibited, rustic and teasing," calling it “one helluva musical masala.”[15]
Joginder Tuteja of Bollywood Hungama noted the departure from traditional Yash Raj musical stylings, writing, “Bunty Aur Babli does not contain your routine Yash Chopra genre of music choreographed around the meadows and Swiss Alps. They are more of situational rhythmic tracks that take a story forward.”[16]
Glamsham highlighted the contribution of lyricist Gulzar, 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.”[17]
Accolades
[edit]
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| Totals | 25 | 49 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| References | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Award[b] | Date of ceremony[c] | Category | Recipient(s) | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bollywood Movie Awards | 10 June 2006 | Best Director | Shaad Ali | Nominated | [18] [19] |
| Best Actor in a Comic Role | Abhishek Bachchan | Won | |||
| Best Music Director | Shankar–Ehsaan–Loy | Won | |||
| Best Female Playback Singer | Alisha Chinai – (for song "Kajra Re") | Won | |||
| Best Choreography | Vaibhavi Merchant – (for song "Kajra Re") | Won | |||
| Filmfare Awards | 25 February 2006 | Best Film | Aditya Chopra | Nominated | [20] [21] |
| Best Actor | Abhishek Bachchan | Nominated | |||
| Best Actress | Rani Mukerji | Nominated | |||
| Best Supporting Actor | Amitabh Bachchan | Nominated | |||
| Best Music Director | Shankar–Ehsaan–Loy | Won | |||
| Best Lyricist | Gulzar – (for song "Kajra Re") | Won | |||
| Gulzar – (for song "Chup Chup Ke") | Nominated | ||||
| Best Female Playback Singer | Alisha Chinai – (for song "Kajra Re") | Won | |||
| International Indian Film Academy Awards | 15–17 June 2006 | Best Film | Aditya Chopra | Nominated | [22] [23] |
| Best Actress | Rani Mukerji | Nominated | |||
| Best Supporting Actor | Amitabh Bachchan | Nominated | |||
| Best Music Director | Shankar–Ehsaan–Loy | Won | |||
| Best Lyricist | Gulzar – (for song "Kajra Re") | Won | |||
| Best Female Playback Singer | Alisha Chinai – (for song "Kajra Re") | Won | |||
| Best Choreography | Vaibhavi Merchant – (for song "Kajra Re") | Won | |||
| MTV Immies | 9 December 2005 | Best Film Album | Bunty Aur Babli | Won | [24] |
| Best Female Playback Singer | Alisha Chinai – (for song "Kajra Re") | Won | |||
| Best Performance In a Song – Female | Aishwarya Rai Bachchan – (for song "Kajra Re") | Won | |||
| Producers Guild Film Awards | 21 January 2006 | Best Music Director | Shankar–Ehsaan–Loy | Won | [25] [26] [27] |
| Best Lyricist | Gulzar – (for song "Kajra Re") | Won | |||
| Best Female Playback Singer | Alisha Chinai – (for song "Kajra Re") | Won | |||
| Best Choreography | Vaibhavi Merchant – (for song "Kajra Re") | Won | |||
| Screen Awards | 11 January 2006 | Best Supporting Actor | Amitabh Bachchan | Nominated | [28] [29] |
| Best Actor in a Comic Role | Abhishek Bachchan | Won | |||
| Best Music Director | Shankar–Ehsaan–Loy | Won | |||
| Best Female Playback Singer | Alisha Chinai – (for song "Kajra Re") | Nominated | |||
| Best Choreography | Vaibhavi Merchant – (for song "Kajra Re") | Nominated | |||
| Jodi No. 1 | Abhishek Bachchan & Rani Mukerji | Won | |||
| Zee Cine Awards | 4 March 2006 | Best Film | Aditya Chopra | Nominated | [30] [31] [32] |
| Best Director | Shaad Ali | Nominated | |||
| Best Actor – Male | Abhishek Bachchan | Nominated | |||
| Best Actor – Female | Rani Mukerji | Nominated | |||
| Best Actor in a Supporting Role – Male | Amitabh Bachchan | Nominated | |||
| Best Music Director | Shankar–Ehsaan–Loy | Won | |||
| Best Lyricist | Gulzar – (for song "Kajra Re") | Nominated | |||
| Best Female Playback Singer | Alisha Chinai – (for song "Kajra Re") | Nominated | |||
| Best Choreography | Vaibhavi Merchant – (for song "Kajra Re") | Won | |||
| Shiamak Davar – (for song "Nach Baliye") | Nominated | ||||
| Best Track of the Year | "Kajra Re" | Won | |||
| Best Costume Design | Aki Narula | Nominated | |||
| Best Art Direction | Sharmishta Roy | Nominated | |||
| Best Song Recording | Empire Studio | Won | |||
| Best Film Processing | Adlabs Films | Nominated | |||
| Best Publicity | Design Cell | Nominated | |||
Sequel
[edit]In December 2019, Yash Raj Films announced a sequel titled Bunty Aur Babli 2, directed by Varun V. Sharma and produced by Aditya Chopra.[33] The film starred Saif Ali Khan and Rani Mukerji as the original Bunty and Babli, alongside Siddhant Chaturvedi and debutante Sharvari Wagh as a new con duo.[34][35] Initially scheduled for release on 26 June 2020, the film was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic and was eventually released theatrically on 19 November 2021.[36]
The character of Bunty was portrayed by Khan, replacing Abhishek Bachchan.[37] The sequel received mostly negative reviews from critics and underperformed at the box office.
Legacy
[edit]Bunty Aur Babli was remade in Telugu as Bhale Dongalu in 2008, starring Tarun, Ileana D'Cruz, and Jagapathi Babu.[38] In 2013, Time Out placed the film at number 63 in its list of “The 100 Best Bollywood Movies.”[39]
Notes
[edit]- ↑ Awards in certain categories do not have prior nominations and only winners are announced by the jury. For simplification and to avoid errors, each award in this list has been presumed to have had a prior nomination.
- ↑ Awards, festivals and organizations are in alphabetical order.
- ↑ Date is linked to the article about the awards held that year, wherever possible.
References
[edit]- ↑ "Top Lifetime Grossers Worldwide (IND Rs)". Box Office India. Archived from the original on 21 October 2013. Retrieved 22 May 2011.
- ↑ "Bunty Aur Babli (2005)". Retrieved 7 June 2026.
- 1 2 Balial, Nandini (20 September 2023). "How Bunty Aur Babli Updated the Legend of Bonnie and Clyde". Retrieved 7 June 2026.
- ↑ "Tollywood meets Bollywood?". The Times of India. 28 February 2008.
- ↑ "Saif Ali Khan on replacing Abhishek Bachchan in Bunty Aur Babli 2: 'Aditya Chopra said things aren't working out…'". The Indian Express. 20 November 2021. Retrieved 22 July 2024.
- 1 2 3 Purwar, Krati (19 April 2026). "Viral Video: 2009 Brazilian Telenovela's Rendition Of Aishwarya Rai's Kajra Re Is Winning The Internet". Retrieved 7 June 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 "Bunty Aur Bubli: Full Cast & Crew". Retrieved 7 June 2026.
- ↑ "Time to have fun". The Hindu. 26 May 2005. Archived from the original on 15 May 2022.
- ↑ "Why Hrithik Roshan Rejected Abhishek Bachchan's Role In Bunty Aur Babli".
- ↑ "Top Worldwide Grossers 2005". Box Office India. Retrieved 9 September 2020.
- ↑ "Bunty Aur Babli (Bunty And Babli) (2005)". 22 May 2005. Retrieved 7 June 2026.
- ↑ "Yash Raj Music – Bunty Aur Babli Audio CD". Yash Raj Music. Retrieved 25 June 2011.
- ↑ "Bunty Aur Babli Music Launch". Yashraj Films. 29 January 2009. Archived from the original on 13 December 2021. Retrieved 25 June 2011.
- ↑ "Music Hits 2000–2009 (Figures in Units)". Box Office India. Archived from the original on 15 February 2008.
- ↑ Verma, Sukanya. "Bunty Aur Babli's Music Rocks!". Rediff.com. Retrieved 25 June 2011.
- ↑ "Bunty Aur Babli: Music Review by Joginder Tuteja". Bollywood Hungama. Archived from the original on 14 October 2008. Retrieved 25 June 2011.
- ↑ "Bunty Aur Babli music review". glamsham.com. Retrieved 25 June 2011.
- ↑ "Nominees of Bollywood Movie Awards". Bollywood Movie Awards. Archived from the original on 3 November 2006. Retrieved 1 July 2022.
- ↑ "Winners of Bollywood Movie Awards: 1999 to 2007". BollywoodAwards.com. Archived from the original on 2 November 2013. Retrieved 9 June 2026.
- ↑ "The 51st Filmfare Awards 2006 Nominations". Indian Times. The Times Group. Archived from the original on 8 July 2007. Retrieved 9 June 2026.
- ↑ "Winners of the 51st Filmfare Awards". Zee News. 22 February 2006. Archived from the original on 25 April 2021. Retrieved 9 June 2026.
- ↑ "IIFA 2006 Nominees". Bollywood Hungama. IndiaFM News Bureau. 6 May 2006. Archived from the original on 11 November 2006. Retrieved 1 July 2022.
- ↑ "'Black' bags major IIFA awards". The Tribune. Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Press Trust of India. 18 June 2006. Archived from the original on 11 September 2017. Retrieved 9 June 2026.
- ↑ "Music across borders". The Times of India. 5 December 2005. Retrieved 9 June 2026.
- ↑ "2nd Apsara Producers Guild Awards Nominations". Producers Guild Film Awards. Archived from the original on 9 November 2013. Retrieved 9 June 2026.
- ↑ "2nd Apsara Producers Guild Awards Winners". Producers Guild Film Awards. Archived from the original on 9 November 2013. Retrieved 1 July 2022.
- ↑ "Bhansali's 'Black' bags 10 Apsara Awards". Hindustan Times. Press Trust of India. 23 January 2006. Archived from the original on 19 August 2021. Retrieved 9 June 2026.
- ↑ "Nominations for 12th Annual Screen Awards". Bollywood Hungama. IndiaFM News Bureau. 3 January 2006. Archived from the original on 10 January 2006. Retrieved 9 June 2026.
- ↑ "Black sweeps Screen Awards". Rediff.com. 12 January 2006. Archived from the original on 14 January 2006. Retrieved 9 June 2026.
- ↑ "Zee Cine Awards 2006 nominations". Bollywood Hungama. IndiaFM News Bureau. 27 January 2006. Archived from the original on 17 November 2006. Retrieved 9 June 2026.
- ↑ "Blockbuster award show in Mauritius today". Daily News and Analysis. 3 March 2006. Archived from the original on 25 April 2021. Retrieved 9 June 2026.
- ↑ "Black dominates ZEE Cine Awards 2006". BizAsia. 4 March 2006. Retrieved 9 June 2026.
- ↑ "Bunty Aur Babli 2". Retrieved 9 June 2026.
- ↑ "Bunty Aur Babli 2: Saif Ali Khan Joins Rani Mukerji Because 'Things Didn't Work Out' With Abhishek Bachchan". NDTV. 19 December 2019. Retrieved 9 June 2026.
- ↑ "Rani Mukerji to Team up with Saif Ali Khan on Bunty Aur Babli 2". News18. 19 December 2019. Retrieved 9 June 2026.
- ↑ "Rani Mukerji, Saif Ali Khan to have Hum Tum reunion in Bunty Aur Babli 2". Hindustan Times. 19 December 2019. Retrieved 19 December 2019.
- ↑ "BREAKING: Yash Raj Films announces theatrical release dates for Bunty Aur Babli 2, Prithviraj, Jayeshbhai Jordaar and Shamshera!". Bollywood Hungama. 26 September 2021. Retrieved 26 September 2021.
- ↑ Arikatla, Venkat (11 April 2008). "'Bhale Dongalu' Review: Pleasant Entertainer". Archived from the original on 31 May 2025. Retrieved 9 June 2026.
- ↑ "The 100 best Bollywood movies". Time Out Editors. Time Out. 5 March 2015. Retrieved 27 September 2021.
