Lage Raho Munnabhai: The Cult Classic Which Has Been Winning Hearts Worldwide

Even after so many years, most of us feel like watching this feel-good film only for the Gandhigiri inculcated it.

Here are some interesting facts about this film:

1. Title change: When the script was finally announced, there were several titles kept for this. The first title of the film was Munnabhai meets Mahatma Gandhi and Munnabhai 2.0 which did not impress the director, finally, Lage Raho Munnabhai was finalized.

2. Bringing back Circuit: Arshad Warsi, who became famous for his role as Circuit in Munnabhai had a tough time reciting his lines as he had forgotten his character. Hirani advised him to watch Munnabhai MBBS which would help him resurrect the character back in the film.

3. Anushka Sharma’s cameo: Before making her debut in Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi, she began her career in modelling and she was seen as a model of a Radio station in the picture right below when Sanjay Dutt is walking. She then auditioned for 3 idiots but did not materialize but managed to impress everyone with her role in PK and Sanju.

4. Vidya Balan’s Role: Most of us fell in love with Vidya Balan’s style of saying Good Moooorning Mumbai! when she begins the show. She had met RJ Malishka to get the feel of her character and the character happened to be modelled after her. She had got her first best actress nomination for this role.

5. Boman Irani’s Role: Boman has been associated with Hirani for a very long time in every film ranging from Munnabhai series, 3 idiots, PK and Sanju. His role in the film was of a Sikh corrupt builder who empties Jhanvi’s home by illegal means. To prepare for the role, Boman spent time with most of the Sikhs owning spare parts shops in Mumbai to get the body language, their nuances and their mannerisms.

6. Anupama Chopra’s reference: There is a scene when Munna decides to read about Gandhiji and Circuit gives the reference about Anupama Chopra in the film as an RJ. Anupama Chopra happens to be a columnist, an acclaimed critic and she is the wife of the producer Vidhu Vinod Chopra.

7. Effect On Karan Johar: Karan Johar was a huge believer of numerology and usually made movies with K beginning at every title. However, after watching the film, he discontinued the practice and thanked Hirani for opening his eyes.

8. Real-life Gandhigiri: Dilip Prabhavalkar, who was famous for his portrayal of Mahatma Gandhi was walking down the street and saw the pirated version of the film playing in a local theatre. He immediately reported it to the police station and got the culprits arrested.

9. Screened At Various Film Festivals: Even after the film won praise from all over India, the film was officially screened at the UN Headquarters in New York by Shashi Tharoor. The film was later screened at the 2007 Cannes Film Festival.

10. A history in making: Rajkumar Hirani was awarded Indian of the Year at the CNN-IBN Indian Of The Year Award Ceremony in the Entertainment section and the film was screened to then-Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh and late former president APJ Abdul Kalam. They loved the film. The film was later selected for the Oscars but it lost to Rang De Basanti and film won three awards at the National Film Awards in 2008.

If this was the case then what surprise will Rajkumar Hirani add in the third instalment of Munnabhai which will bring Sanju Baba back again in the game?