You know you are watching a Hrishikesh Mukherjee film if…

Comedy comes easily to Mukherjee, which is why it is one of the dominant themes in nearly all of his works; be it Guddi, Mili, Khubsoorat, Anand or Gol Maal. Even in a somewhat serious movie like Anand, Mukherjee approaches the subject of death like a close friend. Death in his able hands evokes a sense of doom as it is supposed to, but it also makes us keenly aware of how important it is to live in the present.

2. Star cast

Only a few directors have managed to work with some of the most brilliant and bankable stars of their time. One such filmmaker is Hrishikesh Mukherjee, who in his long career, went on to work with biggies like Rajesh Khanna, Amitabh Bachchan, Jaya Bachchan, Rekha, Amol Palekar and even Anil Kapoor (Jhooth Bole Kauwa Kaate).

3. The never-say-die spirit

Hope springs eternally when it comes to Hrishikesh Mukherjee’s films. Mili, Anand and Abhimaan deal with difficult subjects — of love, death and ambition. But despite its heavy pitching, the films tug at your heartstrings with a hopeful, almost starry-eyed take on the oft-demanding pressures that constantly surround us.

You know you are watching | Quentin Tarantino | Vishal Bhardwaj | Nora Ephron | Christopher Nolan

4. Never a snooze fest

Directors can get carried away when managing big actors or dealing with hefty subjects. They often have lofty ideas regarding their pet projects but seldom does it result in quantifiable success. However, such a thing never happened with Hrishikesh Mukherjee, who knew the pulse of the audience. He didn’t take them as fools and pushed slapstick on their faces, nor did he bore his viewers with incessantly long dramas which took them no where. Here is where his editing skills came in handy. Cutting at the right moment, and focusing on what is important, Hrishi Da’s films have a great rewatch value.