Lage Raho Munna Bhai (lit. Keep Going Munna Bhai) is the 2006 sequel to Munna Bhai M.B.B.S., directed by Rajkumar Hirani. Sanjay Dutt and Arshad Warsi reprise their roles as good-hearted Mumbai goon Murali Prasad "Munna bhai" Sharma and his best friend Sarkeshwar "Circuit" Sharma. It does not, however, continue past the plot of the previous film, instead essentially being a completely different story starring Munna and Circuit.
Munna has fallen in love with the voice of radio jockey Janvi (Vidya Balan) and is desperate to meet her. When Janvi announces a quiz competition based on the life of Mahatma Gandhi with an interview with her as the prize, Munna seizes the opportunity to finally meet the girl of his dreams. Posing as a Gandhian history professor, he impresses Janvi enough for her to ask him to give a speech in her home, now a community space for retirees called "Second Innings House". Having fallen head over heels for Janvi and realising that he needs to study up better for the lecture, Munna studies the life and beliefs of Gandhi for five days straight. This causes Munna to literally be able to see the man himself, who speaks to Munna, is visible to him alone, and advises him to follow Gandhian philosophy. Munna gives the speech successfully, and things between him and Janvi are looking up.
Trouble brews in paradise, however, when Munna's former employer and Corrupt Corporate Executive Lakhbir "Lucky" Singh conspires to seize Second Innings House by hook or by crook for his daughter Simran's wedding. With conventional channels closed to them due to widespread fear of Lucky, Munna, Circuit and Janvi launch a Gandhian non-violent protest against Lucky, with Munna becoming a regular on Janvi's radio program, which also has Munna combine Gandhian principles (as suggested by the big man himself) with Munna's own street smarts into a philosophy called "Gandhi-giri"note .
Lage Raho Munna Bhai is one of the most important Indian films of the 2000s, an unusual feat for an outright comedy. The film inspired several Gandhian protests, led to the popularisation of the term "Gandhi-giri", and was lauded for its discussion regarding the applicability of Gandhian philosophy in modern times and the pervasiveness of superstition in society.
This movie provides examples of:
- Bad Luck Charm: Kkhurana's astrologer Batuk Maharaj believes Simran may be a "manglik"
, someone who, if she marries a non-manglik, is believed to cause him to die prematurely. While Lucky doesn't believe in the superstition himself, Kkhurana's devout belief in Batuk means he has to bend to all of his demands; he fudges Simran's birthdate on her horoscope so that she isn't as "unlucky", and indeed the reason for his initial pursuit of Second Innings House is because Batuk considers it an auspicious place. Turns out that Sunny, his son and her groom, doesn't actually care about it and marries her even after it is revealed that she is a manglik. Their wedding, as told by "Gandhi" in the epilogue, is happy and healthy, leading Khurana to abandon his superstitious beliefs. - Book Ends: Munna's crusade against Lucky begins with him getting arrested for slapping Lucky's guard, and being bailed out by Janvi. It ends with him being arrested again for breaking into Simran and Sunny's wedding, with Janvi bailing him out, this time with a penitent Lucky who gives him the keys to the house.
- Chekhov's Gun: Remember Victor d'Souza, the first caller onto Munna and Janvi's radio program, who had lost his father's money in bad investments and promised to pay back his debts honestly? Turns out he's the driver of the cab Simran jumps into when she realises that her father is a bad man who had lied to Kkhurana about her being a manglik. His belief in Gandhi-giri gets her into contact with a desolate Munna, which helps the latter save her wedding and softens Lucky's heart enough for him to return the keys to Second Innings House.
- My Nayme Is: Kkhurana - the name is typically spelt "Khurana". Kkhurana had changed his name at the advice of his astrologer, indicating his superstitious nature. He changes it back to Khurana after Sunny's wedding to Simran remains long and healthy.
- Nice to the Waiter: Discussed. A girl calls from near a restaurant into Munna and Janvi's show, saying she is waiting to soon meet a man she has been set up with by her parents that she knows nothing about, and asks them for a way to judge his character. When Munna turns to Gandhi, he says "To judge a man, do not look at how he treats his equals, but at how he treats his inferiors." Munna tells the girl to notice how he treats the waiter at the restaurant – if he treats them without respect, that would speak poorly of him. Sure enough, while the man is polite enough to her, he summons the waiter to their table extremely disrespectfully, and she immediately leaves, thanking Munna and Janvi.
- Small Role, Big Impact: Sunny, Kkhurana's son, shows up only right at the climax (played by Abhishek Bachchan), but is crucial to Munna's efforts to get back Second Innings House. After Kkhurana tries to call off the wedding when he finds out that Simran is a manglik, Sunny stands up to his father, proclaims his love for Simran, and marries her, softening Lucky's heart enough to return the house.Dad, if I marry Simran, then maybe I will die. But if I don't marry Simran, then I will definitely die.
- "Where Are They Now?" Epilogue: As narrated by Gandhi, fittingly, about five years after the climax. The retirees got Second Innings House back; Munna and Janvi are now married and have continued their radio program successfully; Circuit has been adopted by Bomi and Tina (who have promptly adopted his gangster style); Victor has made his father proud after buying another taxi from his earnings; Simran and Sunny have been Happily Married and have a child, with Sunny being perfectly healthy, leading Khurana to sack Batuk and remove the first K from his name. Finally, Lucky is seen in the same library as Munna, apparently trying to will himself to see Gandhi, with the man turning to meet Lucky and him enthusiastically posing for a picture.
