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OMG – Oh My God!

Overview

OMG – Oh My God! is a 2012 Indian Hindi-language satirical comedy-drama film directed by Umesh Shukla. The film is an adaptation of the Gujarati stage play Kanji Virudh Kanji, which itself drew inspiration from the Australian film The Man Who Sued God (2001). It stars Paresh Rawal in the lead role, with Akshay Kumar in a pivotal supporting role. The film examines themes of religious commercialisation, blind faith, and the legal accountability of religious institutions in India.

Key Facts

Title OMG – Oh My God!
Director Umesh Shukla
Producers Akshay Kumar, Ashvini Yardi, Paresh Rawal, Kumar Mangat Pathak
Writers Bhavesh Mandalia, Umesh Shukla (screenplay)
Based on Kanji Virudh Kanji (Gujarati play)
Lead cast Paresh Rawal, Akshay Kumar, Mithun Chakraborty, Mahesh Manjrekar
Music Himesh Reshammiya, Meet Bros Anjjan, Sachin–Jigar
Language Hindi
Release date 28 September 2012
Production companies Viacom18 Motion Pictures, Grazing Goat Pictures, Playtime Creations
Genre Satire, comedy-drama

Plot

The story follows Kanji Lalji Mehta, an atheist shopkeeper in Mumbai who sells idols and religious artefacts. When his shop is destroyed in an earthquake, his insurance claim is rejected on the grounds that the event was an "act of God". Kanji decides to file a legal case against God, summoning trustees and priests of various religious establishments to court as God's earthly representatives. The case turns into a public examination of religious practices, superstition, and faith. A mysterious figure named Krishna Vasudev Yadav, played by Akshay Kumar, befriends Kanji and gradually guides his journey.

Cast

  • Paresh Rawal as Kanji Lalji Mehta
  • Akshay Kumar as Krishna Vasudev Yadav
  • Mithun Chakraborty as Leeladhar Swami
  • Govind Namdev as Siddheshwar Maharaj
  • Mahesh Manjrekar as advocate Hanif Qureshi
  • Om Puri as advocate Sarvagya Jha
  • Poonam Jhawer as Gopi Maiyya
  • Murli Sharma as the insurance officer
  • Lubna Salim as Sushila Mehta

Background and Production

The original Gujarati play Kanji Virudh Kanji was written by Bhavesh Mandalia and Umesh Shukla, and it was later adapted into the Hindi play Kishan vs Kanhaiya. After the play's success on stage, Shukla decided to adapt it for the screen. Akshay Kumar's production house Grazing Goat Pictures came on board as a co-producer, with Kumar agreeing to play the extended cameo of Krishna. The film was largely shot in Mumbai.

Music

The soundtrack was composed by Himesh Reshammiya, Meet Bros Anjjan, and Sachin–Jigar, with lyrics by Kumaar, Shabbir Ahmed, and Mayur Puri. The track Go Go Govinda, featuring Sonakshi Sinha and Prabhu Deva, became one of the popular numbers from the album.

Release and Reception

OMG – Oh My God! was released on 28 September 2012. It received largely positive reviews from critics, who praised Paresh Rawal's performance, the writing, and its bold treatment of subjects such as godmen and religious commerce. It performed strongly at the box office despite its niche subject and limited promotional scale compared to typical mainstream Hindi releases.

Awards and Recognition

  • National Film Award – Best Film on Other Social Issues (60th National Film Awards)
  • Multiple Filmfare and Screen Award nominations, including for Best Actor (Paresh Rawal) and Best Story
  • Recognised at several industry awards for its screenplay and dialogues

Themes and Significance

The film is regarded as one of the more notable mainstream Hindi works to engage with the critique of organised religion, ritualism, and self-styled godmen. By framing its argument within a courtroom narrative, it situates faith and superstition within questions of consumer rights, contract law, and state regulation of religious trusts. It contributed to a wider conversation in Indian popular cinema on rationalism and religious reform, comparable in spirit to works such as PK (2014).

Sequel and Franchise

A spiritual successor titled OMG 2 was released on 11 August 2023, directed by Amit Rai and starring Pankaj Tripathi and Akshay Kumar. While not a direct continuation of the 2012 story, it follows a similar template of using a court case to discuss a socially sensitive subject—in this case, sex education in schools.

References

  • 60th National Film Awards official announcements, Directorate of Film Festivals, Government of India.
  • Press coverage and reviews published in major Indian newspapers and film periodicals around the film's release in September 2012.
  • Production credits as listed by Viacom18 Motion Pictures and Grazing Goat Pictures.