By Shevaal Singh
Rating: 8/10
Director : David Dhawan
Starring : Ali Zafar , Siddharth ,Taapsee Pannu , Divyendu Sharma, Rishi Kapoor with Lilette Dubey and Anupam Kher in a double role…
If the legendary Farooq Sheikh and Deepti Naval’s sizzling love story from the vibran 1980s gained the prominence of a trend! The Ali Zafar and Taapsee Pannu’s is not far behind on that ladder. The three friends – Jai played by Siddharth Narayan, Sid played by Ali Zafar and Omi enacted by Divyendu Sharma are young students . We can describe them as the innocent Sid who is the been-there-done-that type . Though Omi revels in tacky poetry out of everyday activities then there is Jai ,who dreams of being cast as an actor someday- just that he doesn’t know where to draw the line.
The three friends live for each other-on food from Mr. Joseph’s [performed by Rishi Kapoor] who owns the cafeteria and live in Ms. Josephine’s (Lilette Dubey) house as tenants – that too on credit! When Seema (Taapsee Pannu) skyrockets into their area on a scooter, Jai and Omi begin dreaming their own dreams of captivating her heart. In this struggle between friends and hearts, the down-to earth Sid falls in love with Seema. A whacky ride ensues involving the age old debate between whether men in uniform are better than civilians or the other way round. There are catastrophes to be taken note of just that they too comes packed in hilarious covers! Like throughout a seemingly intense emotional scene when Jai and Omi admit their mischief in front of Sid and forget to wipe a w tear then later asks them to stop by saying that they look really bad while crying! Ali Zafar as the slow and steady lover justifies a hearty pat on the back for his outstanding performance. His Sid might not move you to tears and the film is not meant to do so but it can definitely make you emotional for a wee bit!– even in a David Dhawan comedy. Taapsee Pannu, gifted with a fresh face comes across as a lovely blast of air and she is lovable in her own special way.
By means of interludes of ‘Dum hai boss!’ that Seema packs her vocabulary with- she is someone one would take an instant liking to Siddharth steps into the shoes of the over-the-top, overacting filmy, Jai with exceptional ease. As an actor, Siddharth has grown over the course of his films, and with every passing one is transforming into a star. From the brooding Karan Singhania of ‘Rang De Basanti’ to this insane Jai, the actor is getting better each day. Divyendu Sharma, whose first outing in ‘Pyar Ka Punchnama’ had created tornadoes in the hearts of viewers, has once again proved his mettle with this Omi.
The supporting cast consisting of Rishi Kapoor, Lilette Dubey, Anupam Kher and Bharti Achrekar is fabulous and Kapoor deserves brownie points for his tap dance! Rishi Kapoor -who flaunts his tattoos and twisted proverbs at every juncture, woos Dubey with self-confidence – the two make for a beautiful couple and are competition to each other in every moment on-screen. A double dose of the comical Anupam Kher symbolising the military and civilian brothers are hilarious to say the least. Bharti Achrekar as the animated mother brilliantly matches up to Kher.
David Dhawan’s version of ‘Chashme Baddoor’ sure takes inspiration from the original, but goes light on the serious parts of the first one. Tragedy is dealt with in a rib-tickling manner, shaping the film into an absolute laugh riot. The dialogues are tremendously praiseworthy and every single moment in the film brags of an original punch.
David Dhawan is going easy on the humour, overstated comedy that he so enjoys portraying on celluloid comes as a huge boon for the senses which makes the film absolutely watchable. Sajid-Wajid’s music is memorable and situational-driven. Sonu Nigam, Wajid, Ali Zafar and Shreya Ghoshal have all engendered songs that are sure to be remembered for their freshness!In Hindi cinema- there is a reason David Dhawan enjoys the nickname of the King of Comedy and from the King’s treasure chest this flick is a jewel. This entertaining take on ‘Chashme Baddoor’ gets an 8/10 from me and it is definitely not to be missed! Entertainment guaranteed !!!
