The best of Rakesh Roshan
3. Khoobsurat (1980)
After Khatta Meetha, Rakesh Roshan was cast in another comedy -- Hrishikesh Mukherjee's Khubsoorat. This genial, literate film brimmed over with frolic but also had a subtly introduced message on the often conflicting roles of merriment and discipline in life.
Rakesh played a doctor who lives a strictly regimented domestic life as ordained by his mother, the redoubtable Dina Pathak. His stance on discipline is -- 'Bachpan se aadat pad gayi hai (It's a childhood habit).' The no-nonsense Dina controls husband Ashok Kumar and her family with an iron hand; and is not amused by the slightest transgression -- until her new daughter-in-law’s boisterous sister, Rekha, drops in for a visit. Rekha encourages the family to break the shackles and spraks off a revolution.
She brings out the devil in Rakesh and after several initial clashes (he plays a trick on the girl but owns up when matters get serious), Rakesh and Rekha team up. Ultimately, of course, he pops the most important question to Rekha – no, not 'Will you marry me?' but 'Kya shararat karna buri baat hai? (is mischief a bad thing?)'