The comic center may be an Indian-born physician and sometime filmmaker, but in "If It Ain't Broke, Break It," he's reminiscent of Bob Hope or Don Knotts.

That's how Gary Kaboly, director of exhibition for Pittsburgh Filmmakers, sees Dr. Ravi Godse, actor, writer, director, producer, internal medicine doctor and a man who gets by on four or five hours of sleep a night. Obviously.

Godse's third film, "If It Ain't Broke ...," is one of three opening-night selections for the Three Rivers Film Festival. It will screen at 7 p.m. Friday at the Melwood Screening Room, 477 Melwood Ave., Oakland.

It wasn't that long ago that he was taking classes at Filmmakers, but he's always been a quick learner and bright student.

His movie stars a mix of celebrities such as Richard Kind, Rondell Sheridan, Steve Guttenberg, Sabrina Bryan and Bill Nunn. Local flavor is provided by the likes of Adrienne Wehr, Patrick Jordan, Dave Petti, Laurie Klatscher and Aaron Kleiber and, in cameo, Franco Harris. (Go to www.ravigodse.com for photos and other information.)

"We've gotten a lot of different types of films submitted over the years, and there are always expectations from the audience when it comes to the type of film being shown. I think Ravi's films do meet the expectations of the audience," says Kaboly.

"It's a feel-good comedy, a lot of local people are in it and local scenes," Kaboly adds, and it's not trying to imitate something out of Hollywood. Or Bollywood.

Godse, who moved to the United States in 1995, plays a married physician who discovers he has only six months to live. He decides to use that time to improve the love lives, careers and personalities of six friends, but things don't go as planned in the farce with a message.

The filmmaker, who recently turned 40 and lives in Fox Chapel with his wife and two children, always emphasizes, "Medicine comes first," and he takes calls from patients 24/7. A rare trip to a moviehouse proved that when a patron behind him, weary of all the interruptions, offered to buy Godse a copy of the film once it hit DVD.

"I don't watch too many movies, I'm busy doing things. I'd rather make a movie than watch it," says the physician, who considers history and travel his main hobbies.

As for filmmaking, he emphasizes, "I'm very careful not to call it a hobby. The cameraman and lighting director do it for a living," as do the rest of cast and crew, and he doesn't want to minimize their professionalism.

He wrote the script in one sitting during a trip to Mexico and spent six months polishing it. "I've realized that good intentions often do more harm," he says, and thought it could be fun to spin that notion into a comedy of errors.

Godse shot it in 10 days (twice the number of his first movie) and, like famously efficient directors such as Clint Eastwood, works quickly.

"If the actors nail it, what I want, on the first take, I will do one more for audio and then I move on. Since our lighting director edits the movie, we have a good synergy."

He couldn't disclose the film's cost although it's much more than "Paranormal Activity" but a fraction of the budget for other features that land in theaters.

Assistant director Jason Coll spearheaded local casting, and Godse, relying on advice from casting and distribution experts, picked actors who could draw audience interest around the world. Panorama Entertainment, which handled the homegrown "The Bread, My Sweet," is distributing "If It Ain't Broke, Break It."

The production shot at Pittsburgh-area locations such as Hartwood Acres, Pittsburgh Athletic Association, Leaf and Bean in the Strip District, an Einstein's bagel shop, a jail in McKees Rocks and the interior of the home Godse shares with his wife, Dr. Madhuri Mahajan, and their daughter, Rama, 12, and their son, Rajeev, 7.

His first movie, "Dr. Ravi & Mr. Hyde," played in some international festivals and was released on DVD by Inecom Entertainment Co. His second, "I Am a Schizophrenic and So Am I," could get a theatrical release if the third does well. If that weren't enough, Godse also wrote a comic novel called "Two Guys, Three Girls and a Mad Professor."

Godse, who says writing trumps all of his movie jobs, has a fourth project in mind dealing with life after death; he predicts it will be fun but have philosophical and serious streaks.

As for "If It Ain't Broke," he jokes that his physician friends will show up, but nobody will be on time. And unlike at a typical screening, moviegoers will be reminded to please not turn off cell phones and beepers, in case patients are calling.

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