 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
These days any Priyadarshan movie is awaited given his recent string of hits-but when the movie has his favourites Akshay Kumar, Paresh Rawal as well as Ex King of Comedy Govinda with a tagline that screams "The Greatest Comedy Show Ever" the expectations are no doubt soaring-so does BHAAGAM BHAG live upto expectations? Frankly-NO, however the movie does make up for a time pass comedy.
The movie revolves around Champak(Paresh Rawal) who is the owner of a theatre company that performs all over India. When an organiser (Asrani) gives them a chance to perform a large scale show abroad Champak jumps at the chance. The "stars" of his show arte Bunty (Akshay Kumar) and Babla (Govinda) -two mixchievous guys who always want to be the "hero" of the show and "patao" the "heroine" which leads to havoc. Just before they depart to London their heroine(Tanushree Dutta) quits due to the antics of Bunty and Babla.
Once they reach London, Champak Seth makes a condition…whoever finds the heroine for the play will play the movies hero. Both Akshay and Govinda enlist the help of a local Taxi Driver Gullu(Rajpal Yadav) but instead of finding a heroine they end up finding some heroin instead and get embroiled with a bunch of bumbling gangsters(Manoj Joshi, Sharat Saxena). Now the Cops(Jackie Shroff) is on their case as well as local goons(Razzak Khan, Shakti Kapoor).
Just when things couldn't get any crazier-Bunty manages to find a girl for his play(Lara Dutta) however the girl is a mental patient with suicidal tendencies and suffers from memory loss. When the girl's memory returns, she goes back to her husband Vikram (Arbaaz Khan) but as fate would have it Vikram is murdered and Bunty, Babla and Champal Seth are framed for the murder…and the chase begins!
In terms of a story Neeraj Vohra and Priyadarshan do a fine job given the genre of the movie. The story isn't as important in movies like this-whats important is creating enough scenarios for the gags to unfold and the interplay between the characters to come out and Vohra does a splendid job in the first half. The second half falters badly with the introduction of Lara Duttas character, the movie begins to rely solely on the antics of the leading trio to save the movie. The screenplay is zany! The first half is slick and extremely fast paced leaving the viewer laughing and breathless, however the second half slows down, and at times it seems like the movie has come to a halt. One wishes more attention had been paid to make the story and screenplay of BHAAGAM BHAG consistent and tighter in the second half.
As a director Priyadarshan had created high expectations for himself. Given the response to his past films in the genre right from HUNGAMA, HULCHUL, GARAM MASALA, MAAL A MAAL WEEKLY, and CHUP CHUP KE and the fact that Priyadarshan had managed a casting coup of sorts by having his two comic pillars of strength (Akshay and Paresh) AND the comeback of ex comedy king Govinda one expected a outright classic from Priyan however that is sadly not the case. The first half is simply magnificent and has countless golden moments of comedy courtesy of Akshay, Govinda and Paresh. The dialogues, chemistry and sequences between these three are an absolute riot and keep the viewer laughing non-stop. However the second half is a letdown. Once the movies focus shifts to the "suspense" element of the story the movie slumps, and also the finale is totally disappointing. The revelation of the suspense leaves much to be desired for and seems totally forced and contrived. The climax does feature Priyans usual stamp with all the characters running around like crazy-but given the title of the movie the characters do that for the entire movie. Instead he has them all falling off a huge crane one by one and this simply seems like a rather cheap climax-which seems its more from a Indra Kumar or David Dhawan movie than Priyadarshans own given his wicked touches in the climax of movies like HULCHUL, HUNGAMA and GARAM MASALA. As a movie, this is a standard Priyadarshan product-yet given the hype one would've expected it to be Priyans funniest or best movie to date which isn't the case. Infact-apart from his usual style, Priyan also gives more than a friendly nod to directors like David Dhawan and Indra Kumar as the movie features a LOT of slapstick throughout as well as the dialogue inter-play between the characters. One seriously wishes that Priyan hadn't relied so much on just his actors and the hype to see the movie through and concentrated more on the script and screenplay. On a positive note-Priyadarshan by now worked out a successful formula-two people at loggerheads while the one in the middle is trying to solve the crisis and it works like a dream in BHAAGAM BHAG again in the first half.
A special pat on the back for Neeraj Vohras whose dialogues are outstanding once again, and the mainstay of the movie as the lines uttered by the trio are simply HILARIOUS.
BHAAGAM BHAG belongs to three actors who are the life, soul and backbone of the movie and they are Akshay Kumar, Govinda and Paresh Rawal (in that precise order).
Akshay Kumar in the comedy genre is unmatched-the actor hasn't found as much appreciation critically or commercially with films like DOSTI, HUMKO DEEWANA KAR GAYEE or JAAN-E-MAN as he has with films like HERA PHERI, GARAM MASALA, PHIR HERA PHERI etc and frankly the actor is on fire once again in BHAAGAM BHAG! Watching Akshay Kumar here is like eating your favourite meal…you know what to expect and you know you're going to enjoy it. Absolutely crazy energy, bursting spontaneity, impeccable delivery, and hilarious facials in all Akshay Kumars trademark style come ALIVE in BHAAGAM BHAG and the actor shines. He dominates the entire movie in and out, unlike say the HERA PHERI series where Paresh has equal footage and an equally crowd-pleasing (if not more) character. Any other actor I would be bored of watching doing the same thing and again, however with Akshay I guess he is doing a mix of roles and not JUST comedy which makes the difference though this is clearly where his forte lies and he is no doubt the current comedy king. To sum up Akshay in BHAAGAM BHAG would be to quote his own dialogue in the movie when Babla(Govindas character in the movie) wants to play the "hero" to which Akshay replies "main kisi ka role nahin kaatoonga, lekin iss show ka hero main hoon aur sirf mein"…noted Akshay and keep up the great work!
On a sidenote: one must say that Akshay has learnt a LOT from Paresh Rawal in the comedy arena with each consequent film. There are times, where his timing is just amazing…or others where just the mere sight of his body language or him walking (shoulders back, head stuck out which is a clear trademark of Baburao Apte) evokes an ENORMOUS amount of laughter!
Govinda…what can one say? The actor sadly disappeared and faced a hard time in comedy. When the news came out that Govinda was starring in BHAAGAM BHAG I was hyped to see the actor shine again in a comedy movie. However it is clear from the outset that this is Govinda ENTERING into Priyadarshans camp where the HERO is already established (Akshay) and that he is just supporting. Govinda gives a surprisingly controlled performance, and on the acting front does a superb job. His delivery and facials are simply AWESOME and one realises how much talent Govinda has. There is a scene in the movie where Govinda is trying to explain to a British Officer in Hindi (when the officer doesn't know any Hindi) about whats happening. Govinda breaks out into a 3 minute non-stop delivery dhamaka and at that stage the entire cinema started clapping…timing, facials, comedy…for a moment there Govinda re-lived his entire GLORY and it was clear..he was BACK and only he can do what he can do. I agree with Rajpal Yadavs statement that Govinda has only given 30% of his energy here(and smartly so). All the best to Govinda for SALAAM-E-ISHQ and PARTNERS.
Must add that Govinda needs to take a LOT more care of his appearance, he looks tired and extremely worn out in parts. The hairstyle has to be changed and he needs to lose a little bit of weight too as some of the shots of him are rather unflattering Paresh Rawal takes a backstage here in the first half. He is there, and the scenes he has are funny, however the focus isn't on him. In the second half he joins Akshay and Govinda forming a trio ala HERA PHERI and there are some highly funny sequences. A classic Paresh Rawal sequence would be where Paresh puts on a pair of glasses which blinds his vision and then is on the run! I would say, for Paresh this is on the same level as GARAM MASALA was.
Lara Dutta is just OK. The actress looks gorgeous, however she isn't required to do much else. Tanushree Dutta is totally wasted in her part, but once again looks cute and sexy.
Rajpal Yadav is dependable as ever, though he isn't in the frontline here like he was in CHUP CHUP KE though he does have some scenes where he shines.
Jackie Shroff is disappointing in his part, and his character is out of sync in the movie. It's a rather bland character and Shroffs performance is bland too.
Arbaaz Khan is as expected.
The array of supporting actors are a must in a Priyan film and this is no different with actors like Shakti Kapoor, Razzak Khan, Manoj Joshi, Asrani and they all play their parts efficiently. However one wishes there was less focus on the Manoj Joshi-Sharad Saxena track which becomes kind of repetitive and annoying after a while with more focus on the main stars.
Technically the movie is just superb. Jeevas cinematography is just right, and he creates the right type of ambience needed for a comedy like BHAAGAM BHAG. The visuals of London are captured superbly on-screen. Arun Kumars editing could've been crisper with the second half progressing much faster.
Pritams music is good. The SIGNAL track is just perfectly placed, and the hype and momentum is creates is splendid. It's the kind of song that makes you want to get up and dance, and seeing Akshay, Govinda and Paresh croon and dance their way through it was alone worth the price of admission for me. One just wishes the same energy and zest was carried on throughout.
AFREEN and the title track too was well canned, and the songs are appropriately placed.
All up BHAAGAM BHAG is PAISA VASOOL and there is enough there to keep the viewers entertained for the duration of the movie, but in saying that there was potential for much more, and given the canvas and stars Priyadarshan had he should've completely LET LOOSE which he doesn't. The GREATEST COMEDY SHOW EVER it certainly is not
KABUL EXPRESS (2006)
By FilmyTalk.com
Release Date : 16 December, 2006
A Film Which Rings of Jingoism
Hostility has its own burden to carry, and no country can ever feel the trauma of war as much as Afghanistan; the war-ravaged land with its barren expanse laden with land mines has a history that is difficult to encompass or for that matter even touch upon appropriately in a two-hour film; the crossed interests of Russia and America, with the much feared and discussed Taliban and their extreme ways, and the jihadis of the world lending a hand to a people that have been torn by poverty, ignorance and foreign invasion, are not easy topics to address. Alas, Kabul Express is a journey that doesn’t even make a sincere attempt to address this history, placing its protagonists against the disturbing times of an unfortunate nation, and playing up anti-Pakistan emotions to illustrate the meddling of Pakistan in another neighbor’s history, while other meddling nations’ roles that are far more significant have been conveniently ignored or simply made passing mentions of.
The film rings of jingoism, even through two Indian journalists, versus Pakistan, and plays to the galleries with scant regard for the ramifications of such an interpretation, with much of its humorous approach misdirected. It is set post 9/11, and attempts a satirical approach to the subject, commenting on everything, from the sensationalism of wartime journalism and its risks, to the human side of a religion misinterpreted and misrepresented by the western world, to the strange emotional bonds that develop when humans at cross-purposes spend time in proximity with each other. But while Danis Tanovic’s No Man’s Land illustrated ably the futility of war and conflict through its searing and smart narrative, the acidic black humor hitting bull’s eye between the viewer’s heart and mind, Kabir Khan’s Kabul Express (or should one say Yashraj’s Kabul Express, as this is one attempted artistic endeavor that appears to be driven by commercial needs to appeal to the lowest common denominator, which doesn’t really work for this kind of cinema) fails miserably.
To belabor the Taliban, oft references to them and their cruel ways, is strewn throughout the narrative; and the nation’s emotions towards the Taliban is also spelt out, when Afghanis are seen beating up Talibs with extreme cruelty, reducing the perpetrator to the inhuman level of the victim itself. Herein lies the problem, as more important and consequential dramatic points are overlooked in the process, which is a mistake a film like No Man’s Land never made, taking the Balkan conflict but addressing war and humanity on a metaphorical level.
Well, as the cut-line succinctly puts it, two Indians, one American, one Afghan and a Pakistani (the Talib) are on a journey together. So you have John Abraham’s Suhel Khan and Arshad Warsi’s Jai Kapoor teaming up with Linda Arsenio’s Jessica Beckham, Hanif Hum Ghum’s Khyber and Salman Shahid’s Imran Khan Afridi (superb casting, except for John, who is a bit of a misfit in this powerhouse performance club). Actors from their own region are playing the respective roles and this really works, with Salman Shahid giving an exceptional performance, closely matched by Arshad Warsi. The mix of languages, again like No Man’s Land, also gives the film its own realistic feel that hasn’t been seen in Indian cinema to-date. Without getting into the story details, this journey is spent in a limited amount of time, and is quite interesting, if all the minus points mentioned above can be overlooked; and a comparison with the vastly superior No Man’s Land may be a bit unfair, but Kabul Express so shamelessly borrows from the Oscar-winning film that this comparison is inevitable.
The film’s strength is its technical brilliance, with Anshuman Mahaley’s lensing simply superb, capturing the sand and the mountains of Afghanistan in all its sun-soaked glory. The direction is also sharp, with some great acting being extracted from the players effortlessly, but it’s the director’s writing that is a let-down.
The constant power struggles that are endemic to human nature, with the man wielding the gun turning victor or simply winning any argument, is not used well as a metaphor in Kabul Express, though one feel’s that the maker’s intention was surely there; and the balancing act of cutting finely between the heart-rending reality of the plight of the Afghans and the inherent humor of placing two quick-witted Indian journalists in this difficult terrain facing abduction, is largely messed up. Furthermore, the “who started it?” question that forever crops up in all conflicts is grossly misdirected. For an attempted satire of this kind, this is its greatest shortcoming.