Very very predictable, including the post credit scene !!!

It was OK. I don't see why everyone loves it so much. It wasn't very smart or deep or well-directed.

The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

The thing I enjoyed most about the film is the fact that it doesn't shy away from being a super-sized-cliche;

Baawarchi is a classic from Hrishida. It is shot almost entirely in a single household set. All the characters are etched beautifully with a nice little suspense in the climax. The music could have been much better given the beautiful lyrics.Jaya Bhaduri,A.K Hangal, Asrani & Paintal have all given good performances. The film talks about the advantages of a joint family & must be watched by today's generation.Now, coming to one very good reason why it must be watched. The performance of Super Star Rajesh Khanna.His portrayal is absolutely brilliant. He makes his appearance a good 15 minutes after the film starts, but right till the end, he keeps you enthralled. His charm & style proves why he was & still remains the greatest superstar of Hindi cinema.Rajesh Khanna dared to do films without a heroine (which is unthinkable even today). He had no heroine in Anand & Bawarchi & later on in Shatru.This is a movie which I have watched many times & never felt bored. Rajesh Khanna truly deserved a national award for this performance but then awards are not always given on merit.One of the top 10 films of Hindi Cinema.

Bawarchi is a gem of a movie that conveys a lot without actually saying much. Hrishikesh Mukherjee is the real Bawarchi (Chef) here. He selects the right recipe (the story), brings the right ingredients (actors and technicians), adds the right spices (music, drama and a O'Henry-esqe twist) and just lets all of them simmer under his watchful eye.I cant think of a better casting for such a beautiful story. The correct mix of star power of Rajesh Khanna, Jaya Bhaduri (Bachchan) and Amitabh Bachchan (as the sutradhaar or the narrator) and highly under-rated character actors like A.K. Hangal, Asrani and even Paintal.The story by Tapan Sinha is a timeless classic. It is true even today where the joint-family system may have disintegrated but the sibling fights, day-to-day strife and dependence on domestic help still continue. Gulzar, the master word-smith, weaves his magic in the dialogs (Special mention- 'It's so simple to be happy but so difficult to be simple').Today, more than ever, we realize and miss such simple movies.

This film itself is a copy of the 1966 black and white Bengali classic "Galpo Holeo Satyi" directed by Tapan Sinha. Hrishikesh Mukherjee (and Guljar) have time and again remade Bengali classics into Hindi movies, sometimes very people are aware of them. Another gem is "Chupke Chupke" which is a line-by-line copy of the 1971 Bengali film "Chhadmabeshi" starring Uttam Kumar.Some of the other copies include Angoor (Gulzar) which was a remake of Bimal Roy's Bhranti Bilas. The original inspiration is of course the bard's "Comedy of Errors". Another one is "Mere Apne" (Gulzar), based on Tapan Sinha's "Apanjan".

If ever fairy tales were told in poetic and yet mesmerizing way than this is definitely one among them.The word 'magician' in my title could apply to Hrishikesh Mukherji definitely but also to Rajesh Khanna. Aah.. what an actor!.This is undoubtedly one of Mr.Mukherji's best. You can feel the Bengali warmth all over it.It's subtle and yet so clear, it's humorous and yet so sentimental.It's a story about a cook who changes not only the tastes of the house but also the hearts.Now here is a movie u feel deserved an Oscar... but who cares? It's truly a world's loss. But then you can't blame the Oscar jury... nothing much was done in the past to promote Indian cinema on an International standard.This is a movie you can proudly refer and no such luck for the movies that are being churned out now.