Writer/Director: Aziz Mirza
Starring: Shah Rukh Khan, Juhi Chawla and Aditya Pancholi
‘A Captivating Classic’
Few actors in Bollywood are as beloved as Shah Rukh Khan. Ever since his recognition in the 1990’s, Khan has become one of the greatest actors in the film industry. Whether it is star-crossed lovers, gangs or doomed superheroes, Khan has proven he can play many characters. Arguably, Khan’s finest strength as an actor has always been his charisma. He has often been of those rare actors with the abilities to use his charisma to attract audiences to theatres. Through his abilities to play characters which prove to be compelling, Khan has created a bold legacy that’s lasting. Known as the Badshah of Bollywood, Khan has stood test of time as a celebrated icon that’s beloved in Indian Cinema. Despite having reached the age of retirement, Khan hasn’t lost his passions for making engaging entertainment. An icon in India, Khan has become a bold actor whose movies commonly attract audiences to the Cinema. Throughout his long-lasting career, Khan has appeared in several unforgettable movies which are definitely without a doubt worth watching.
I’m a huge fan of Khan and adore all movies which he has created in his career. However, “Yes Boss” definitely stands out as being his funniest film. Released in 1997, Aziz Mirza’s film offered a captivating portrait of corrupt corporate bosses. Packed with breathtaking musical sequences, strong storytelling and phenomenal acting, it’s a riveting Bollywood corporate drama. At the center of it all is an incredible performance by Shah Rukh Khan, who embodies a businessman that seeks to please his strict boss. Although “Yes Boss” is a captivating Bollywood corporate drama, it isn’t a flawless film. It suffers from uneven pacing which tests viewers’ patience. That being said, it offers engaging entertainment for fans of SRK.
“Yes Boss” tells the story of a businessman that strives to work hard to please his strict boss. Shah Rukh Khan portrays Rahul Joshi, an ambitious man with dreams of achieving success in his advertising agency. Rahul has always held the utmost respect for his boss Siddharth (Aditya Pancholi). In order to gain his dreams of wealth, Rahul becomes a yes man for his boss. He helps his boss cover up evidence of extramarital affairs. However, a romance threatens to destroy his dreams of pleasing his manager. When Rahul falls for sweet-natured model Seema (Juhi Chawla), he faces a dilemma. As all the odds become stacked against his favour, Rahul questions whether he will ever truly be able to become a successful manager.
Aziz Mirza is fascinated with the themes of business. A fantastic Bollywood filmmaker, Mirza has often made engaging films about businessmen in danger. His iconic film “Raju Ban Gaya Gentleman” offered a compelling portrait of engineers seeking success in his profession. With “Yes Boss”, however, Mirza created his first corporate drama. It marked the filmmaker’s first attempt to capture lives of bosses struggling to manage a company, but he succeeded immensely. Using strong cinematography, Mirza captures the life of a businessman seeking to appease his boss in a tough company. Emulating Oliver Stone’s “Wall Street”, Mirza expertly uses montages to capture the bonds between an employee and l manager. For instance, the montages enhance the bosses meetings scene. During this unforgettable scene, Rahul has a series of meetings with his boss to discuss affairs. Using montages, Mirza creates a portrait of bosses that’s engaging. Montages are not easy techniques to use in Bollywood films. As Ashutosh Gowariker’s “Swades” proved, montages enhance Bollywood movies about homeland. That being said, it works well in this movie. Using captivating visuals, Mirza captures the hardships that bosses of firms are facing.
Another strong aspect of “Yes Boss” which deserves appreciation is production. From a technical perspective, it’s one of the finest Bollywood movies you will ever watch. Mirza expertly uses cross-cutting to stage musical sequences about corporate figures that are compelling. For instance, the cross-cutting elevated the Chand Taare song. During this unforgettable song, Rahul delivers a melody expressing his dream of being a successful businessman. Using stunning cross-cutting, Mira creates musical sequences which are engaging. Furthermore, the musical score is magnificent. It gives the movie an engaging atmosphere capturing a heavy burden that bosses bear. Using captivating production, Mirza captures businessmen which seek to achieve a mission.
Storytelling is one of the main reasons why “Yes Boss” is a Bollywood corporate movie that’s engaging. The film is extremely well-written, and effectively uses monologues to capture businessmen seeking to live up to their bosses’ expectations. Throughout the movie, Rahul delivers speeches expressing his strong worldviews on his profession. For instance, monologues enhance the business speech scene. During this engaging scene, Rahul delivers a profound monologue that expresses his strong devotion towards his boss. Through engaging monologues, Mirza creates a portrait of managers audiences can relate to. Dramatic monologues aren’t simple techniques to use in Bollywood. As Karan Johar’s “Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham” suggested, monologues enhance Bollywood movies about dysfunctional families. That being said, it works immensely in this movie. Through a strong screenplay, Mira conveys harsh realities experienced by managers in India today.
One appreciates amazing performances.
Shah Rukh Khan delivers one of his finest performances as Rahul. Khan first earned appreciation for playing romantic heroes in classic Bollywood movies. With “Yes Boss”, however, he took on his most comedic role. It isn’t easy to portray a businessman that seeks to live up to a boss in the position of authority but he succeeds immensely. This is the actor unlike you have ever seen him before: charming, hilarious and emotional in his most underrated role. With spellbinding expressions, he captures ambition, bravery and determination of a businessman which seeks to live up to a boss’ expectations. It’s a phenomenal performance from one of the finest actors in India today.
While the film is mainly a bold showcase for SRK, the supporting cast is also exceptional and worthy of appreciation. Juhi Chawla is captivating, bringing charisma to a woman that falls in love with her boss in a dilemma. Aditya Pancholi is astonishing, bringing an authority to a boss that seeks to hide affairs in secrecy. Lastly, Johnny Lever is worthy of recognition. As a struggling businessman, he brings hilarious comical relief to the film.
Despite its strong performances, however, “Yes Boss” can’t quite capture struggles of businessmen in India which face a loss. If there’s a minor shortcoming to the movie, it lacks engaging pacing. Mirza’s decisions to integrate subplots about workplace abuse into the film is bold but hinders the pacing. Due to this faulty technique, sequences that focus on Siddharth’s abuse of employees in the workplace aren’t as engaging as Rahul’s career journey. Therefore, “Yes Boss” is one of those Bollywood films that everyone will not adore.
Nevertheless, fans of SRK would definitely enjoy “Yes Boss” and so would audiences seeking hilarious entertainment. A riveting Bollywood comedy, it celebrates an Indian actor that has built a strong legacy.
Nearly 30 years following the release of an iconic Bollywood film about a businessman seeking to impress his boss in a competitive corporation, it’s a captivating reminder of a beloved Indian actor that has built a strong reputation through his capability to portray compelling characters in memorable movies throughout his career that definitely deserve appreciation.
4/5 stars
The Film Buff 