Happy Patel Review: Aamir Khan Productions' Got Latent Show; Use Headphones, Not Brain

RATING - ⭐ ⭐ ✨ 2.5/5*

Happy Patel Review Movie Talkies:

Happy Patel is by far the nastiest film made under the Aamir Khan Productions banner—a production house that rarely misses the mark. Back in 2011, they attempted something bold and unconventional with Delhi Belly, and successfully pulled off a smart adult comedy for its time. In 2026, they try to recreate that irreverent template with Happy Patel, leaning heavily into improvised, brutal humour. This time, however, my feelings are mixed.

At its best, the film is outrageously hilarious—so much so that your cheeks and stomach may ache with laughter. At its worst, it descends into painfully terrible slapstick that feels absurd, forced, and occasionally far too vulgar. If I were a New Yorker, I might have hailed it as the spiritual child of American Pie and embraced its madness wholeheartedly. But as a Mumbaikar, I can neither fully love it nor entirely hate it. Much like India’s Got Latent Show—which divided audiences and eventually faced suspension—Happy Patel too may face a similar fate, albeit more quietly.

Happy Patel Story:

Happy Patel (Vir Das) is a clumsy agent—part Jacques Clouseau, part Mr. Bean—overflowing with enthusiasm. Sent on a mission to India, his biggest hurdle turns out to be the language and accent. “Ghar ka chhat” becomes “chut,” “paas” turns into “puss,” and the chaos snowballs from there. With just these examples, you can imagine the level of brain rot the humour aims for. Goa’s most dangerous "don," Mama (Mona Singh), is after Patel. Along the way, Happy befriends Geet (Sharib Hashmi), encounters the peculiar Roxy, and falls in love with Rupa (Mithila Palkar), a local dancer. Together, they must save a gori, but Mama stands firmly in their way. Who gets the last laugh forms the crux of this madness.

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From a screenplay perspective, Happy Patel works brilliantly as a stand-up comedy routine, but as a feature film, it’s a messy, chaotic ride. The makers attempt to squeeze a joke into nearly every line of dialogue, and while some land spectacularly, many don’t. The hit-to-miss ratio feels like 1:5. The film barely holds together as a logical narrative, lacking an engaging storyline or emotional anchor. The intention is clear—to go completely out of the box, over-the-top, and unapologetically wild—and the makers commit to it without hesitation. Unfortunately, that fearlessness won’t sit well with every viewer. It feels like a British black comedy made for British sensibilities, but staged in the wrong country for the wrong audience. There are countless dialogues I’d love to quote to give you a taste of this ride, but I’ll avoid spoilers—for your own good. Much like the Instagram reel warning that says, “Please use headphones,” Happy Patel should have come with a similar disclaimer.

Happy Patel Cast:

Vir Das chooses the weirdest role of his career here. It’s a unique experience, but also aggressively vulgar. Mithila Palkar looks her hottest yet, striking a perfect balance between natural beauty and sex appeal—credit to the cinematography, lighting, and costumes for making her look like a bomb. Mona Singh’s character, however, is confusing and difficult to relate to, and her accent simply doesn’t work. Sharib Hashmi delivers some solid, hard-hitting punchlines and remains a consistent delight on screen. Aamir Khan’s cameo is underwhelming and arrives at a point where the film already feels exhausting and guess what? It's the beginning portion of the film. Imran Khan, on the other hand, makes a rocking special appearance that genuinely lifts the mood. The rest of the cast performs decently.

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Happy Patel Movie Review:

Technically, Happy Patel does fairly well considering its modest budget. The cinematography features a few artistic shots, though some scenes are unnecessarily dark. The music and background score largely fall flat, even the foot-tapping rap number, which feels underutilised. Editing works in the film’s favour, ensuring there are no prolonged dull moments. Directors Vir Das and Kavi Shastri occasionally lose grip, but there’s something oddly metaphorical in their approach that surprises you once in a while. That said, the overall impact remains below par due to persistent issues in the script, screenplay, and humour—many of which feel alien to Indian sensibilities. In conclusion, Happy Patel has several laugh-out-loud moments that make it worth checking out, but it also contains scenes so unbearable that they test your patience. Watch it at your own risk—this one is definitely not everyone’s cup of tea.