Yes Boss

About the film

Yes Boss is a 1997 Indian Hindi-language romantic comedy film directed by Aziz Mirza starring Aditya Pancholi, Shah Rukh Khan and Juhi Chawla in the lead roles. Produced by Ratan Jain, it is based on the film For Love Or Money (1993) starring Michael J Fox.

Yes Boss released on 18 July 1997 and emerged as a commercial super hit at the box-office, with a worldwide gross of ₹23 crore (US$2.4 million). The film received mixed-to-positive reviews from critics upon release, with praise for its humor, soundtrack and the performances of the cast, but criticism for its script and pacing.

Plot

Ambitious, Rahul Joshi wants to be rich, and is lucky enough to find a job with extra earnings from his boss, Siddharth, a lustful person having extramarital affairs, who has deviously trapped the rich Sheela. Rahul earns overtime money in keeping the affairs a secret. Later, Siddharth is lustfully attracted to the elegant and gorgeous Seema Kapoor, an aspiring model also desiring a life of luxury. Siddharth asks Rahul to help him trap Seema too. Helpless, Rahul does so, but also has a soft spot and a little bit of romantic feelings for her. Anyway due to his efforts, Seema is impressed by Siddharth's personality. Gradually, the two get closer; Seema begins liking Siddharth. However, she also grows close to Rahul while seeking his help.

As their companionship blossoms, Seema meets Rahul's mom, Sonali, a heart patient sensitive to any shocking news in life. Sheela's cousin Bhushan takes this benefit and tells Sonali that Rahul has married Seema, overjoying her. To not shock her, Rahul and Seema act as a happy couple and slowly grow even closer and after a bit of arguments they start falling in love with each other. Siddharth learns about them, and offers Rahul his dream office, with unsaid implication that it was in return for Seema. Rahul realises he was supporting his lustful habits for his dream office by being a bootlicker to him. He says he wants only Seema.

After this fiasco, true love triumphs as Seema decides to spend her life with Rahul and Sonali, who wholeheartedly accepts their relationship again. Rahul decides he'd have a luxurious life for him and Seema by his own money, not by bootlicking anyone. The story/movie ends with the two on a scooter and reminiscing of how they met and it shows them driving off with "Don't Worry, Get Married" written on a plate in the back of the scooter. The end credits roll and play Main Koi Aisa Geet Gaoon until halfway of it and the actual movie finally ends.

Production

"Main Koi Aisa Geet" song was shot in Bern, Switzerland.

Music

The film's soundtrack has 6 songs composed by Jatin–Lalit who also composed the background score, with lyrics by Javed Akhtar. Most of the songs are sung by Abhijeet Bhattacharya and won his first Filmfare Award for Best Male Playback Singer for the song "Main Koi Aisa Geet Gaoon". Other contributing artists are Kumar Sanu, Udit Narayan & Alka Yagnik. The song "Suniye To" is based on "Ahla Ma Feki" by Hisham Abbas. The song "Ek din aap" is inspired from Dilip Kumar song "Sham-e-gham ki Qasam" from the movie "Footpath" (1953).

Reception

K. N. Vijiyan of New Straits Times wrote that "with bubbly Shahrukh Khan at his best, you cannot afford to give this film a miss".

Box office

Yes Boss grossed ₹19.48 crore (US$2.0 million) in India and $975,000 (₹3.48 crore) in other countries, for a worldwide total of ₹22.96 crore (US$2.4 million), against its ₹5 crore (US$520,000) budget. It had a worldwide opening weekend of ₹3.07 crore (US$320,000), and grossed ₹5.65 crore (US$590,000) in its first week. It is the 12th-highest-grossing Indian film of 1997 worldwide.

It opened on Friday, 18 July 1997, across 180 screens, and earned ₹57 lakh (US$60,000) nett on its opening day. It grossed ₹1.79 crore (US$190,000) nett in its opening weekend, and had a first week of ₹3.29 crore (US$340,000) nett. The film earned a total of ₹11.33 crore (US$1.2 million) nett, and was declared a "Hit" by Box Office India. It is the 14th-highest-grossing film of 1997 in India.

It earned $975,000 (₹3.48 crore) outside India. It is the 3rd-highest-grossing film of 1997 behind Dil To Pagal Hai ($3.3 million (₹12.04 crore)) and Pardes ($1.7 million (₹6.12 crore)), which were also Shah Rukh Khan starrers.

Awards

Best Male Playback Singer – Abhijeet Bhattacharya for "Main Koi Aisa Geet Gaoon"

Best Lyricist – Javed Akhtar for "Chaand Taare"

Key details