| Cast: |
Akshay
Kumar, Sunil Shetty, Aftab, Shivdasani, Paresh
Rawal. |
| Director: |
Vikram
Bhatt |
| Music: |
Anu
Malik |
Director Vikram Bhatt graciously accepted responsibility
for the debacle of his last film Aap Mujhe Ac
hche
Lagne Lage. Looks like he will have to do the same
again.
His
latest offering, Awara Paagal Deewana, has all it
takes to make a successful Hindi potboiler. Huge starcast
(Akshay Kumar, Sunil Shetty, Aftab Shivdasani, Paresh
Rawal), big budget, foreign locations, stunts, comedy.
Yet he fails to deliver that important component:
wholesome entertainment.
An
old man (Om Puri) leaves behind a will that makes
his willing-to-fight-to-death son Vikrant (Rahul Dev)
and son-in-law Guru Gulab Khatri (Akshay Kumar) want
to kill each other. But then, they would have killed
each other anyway --- the in-laws are actually deadly
outlaws. And Preeti (Jhangiani) happens to be Vikrant's
stepsister and Guru's namesake wife.
So
no way the woman can unite the men.
The
old man has tucked away diamonds, worth a thousand
million rupees, in a New York bank. These can be claimed
only if the three sign the relevant papers together.
Or, in case of death of one or more, if a proper death
certificate is produced.
Won
der
why the old man did not divide the wealth himself
and give them their share.
Vikrant
murders a politician to trap Guru, who escapes to
a pre-September 11 New York (the WTC is visible prominently
throughout). Here, he moves into the neighbourhood
of a harassed husband Anmol (Aftab Shivdasani) and
father-in-law Manilal (Paresh Rawal) and their wives
Mona (Amrita Arora) and Paramjeet (Supriya Pilgaonkar).
News
that Guru is worth Rs 20 million reaches Anmol and
Manilal. They rush to India and inform Vikrant of
Guru's whereabouts. Vikrant sends his henchmen Yeda
Anna (Sunil Shetty) and Chotta Chatri (Johny Lever),
with the henpecked husbands and reaches New York himself
for a fight-to-finish climax.
Before
this, Yeda Anna is attracted to Anmol's wife, Anmol
falls in love with Guru's wife and Anmol's secretary
(Aarti Chhabria), loves the married Guru.
Final
fight over, the lovers also have to get the other
divorced, which they do. Phew! The climax is an unending
saga in itself.
Of
the cast, Paresh Rawal dominates throughout. In a
comic role similar to Hera Pheri and Aankhen, he delivers
a hilarious performance and looks set for more Best
Actor in a Comic Role 
awards.
Akshay goes through the motions. The sincerity and
intensity seen in Hera Pheri, Ek Rishtaa -- The Bond
Of Love and Aankhen seems missing here. However, his
action scenes are interestingly done and will be a
big draw --- for those not used to seeing the best
of international cinema.
For
the rest, it is only a desi version of all the Crouching
Tigers and Matrixes seen before. Some daredevil stunts
go overboard, even by Hindi film standards.
Wonder
what made Aftab Shivdasani sign this one --- he has
not one scene worth mentioning. And to think the same
director gave Aftab his only hit, Kasoor.
Sunil
Shetty is painful. Rahul Dev, Johny Lever and Om Puri
are just okay.
Among
the heroines, Preeti Jhangiani continues her sympathy-seeking
married act from Mohabattein. The experience of having
done it earlier does not help much.
Aarti Chabbria displays more skin than acting talent.
Amrita Arora needs help --- both with her acting and
the choice of her career. Supriya Pilgaonkar is not
impressive.
AnuMaliik's
music is a disaster. Except for Jise hasna rona hai
and Yaa Habibi, the rest should not even h
ave
been recorded.
Director
Bhatt should concentrate on what he does best ---
make small budget, non star cast films (Ghulam being
an exception). Here, he shows his capability in handling
the comic scenes well --- there weren't many light
scenes in his earlier films. But overall, he fails
to hold the audience's attention.
See
the film only if you are a diehard fan of Rawal's
comic talent or Akshay's action scenes.
