Jun 02, 2006 01:07 AM
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(Updated Jun 02, 2006 02:57 PM)
36 Chinatown ()
Genre: Murder Mystery
Released: 5th May 2006
Director: Abbas Mustan
Cast: Akshay Khanna, Kareena Kapoor, Shahid Kapoor, Jhony Lever, Paresh Rawal, Upen Patel, Tannaz, and the rest.
Bibhu asked me the other day, “How many stars?” and I said 2 and a half. He laughed at me, and rightly so! He pointed out that critics were too harsh, accepted!
36 Chinatown gives back your money’s worth and it is a movie that can be enjoyed best over a couple of large Popcorn-Pepsi combos. It turns out to be a good fare with Himesh Reshammiya rocking the scene with his music – only the director (excited by the music) decided to put one song too many in the first half.
Much said now, this movie is just above average as far as filmmaking is concerned.
In short:
If you are not a critic, go have a ball. This could-have-been-a-thriller is a humorous murder mystery.
A little more about it
Abbas Mustan duo have done some good work in the past including the path-breaking movie Baazigar which established Shahrukh Khan in the industry. There have been disasters too which include Tarzan - the wonder car. They haven’t done full justice to this one.
Their depiction of time line through clock and scenes hurriedly moving back and forth was a nice idea. That is where you may feel it is either copied from some western film or there is freshness on offer. You are disappointed as the scenes unfold – the casino owner (Isha) is so happy that she dances in her own casino alongside other lowly dancers, Upen roams around flirting with girls and all his one liners are so stale that it stinks after a point, there are too many songs in the first half and the movie refuses to move any further…
Almost every scene is predictable but what the movie succeeds at is making you laugh (comedy) and also at giving you some tense moments (thriller). Anyway, it was meant to be a murder mystery. It ends up being a not-so-thrilling thriller and a run-of-the-mill humorous murder mystery. Humor goes in favor of this movie but I fear that the audience is going to give it thumbs down though it is not a bad Hindi film.
Sample this dialogue – “Is your dad a terrorist?” “Why” “Coz you are a bomb!” If you look around for pickup lines on the www, this would be the first one that you come across. Interestingly, these lines have been used in another recent movie ‘Shaadi Se Pehle’ which hit the theatres a few weeks back. Are we running out of ideas or we don’t know much about searching on the internet?
Songs range from fair to very good and that ultimately becomes the saving grace of the first half. The songs are at the least tolerable and couple of those actually enjoyable including the opening song Aashique mein teri.
Limiting Factor:
- Lack of grip on the story at places. Janta may give it a thumbs-down.
Performances:
Let us start with Isha Koppikar. It’s official now – Isha cannot act! Her emotions are as good as those of cud chewing cow. Have I disgraced the cow?
Jhony Lever and Tannaz have given decent performances. Their chemistry (or rather lack of it) creates mirth most of the times they are on screen.
Kareena needs to go a little easy on her expressions. She is average this time round.
Paresh Rawal, though doesn’t get much footage, impresses with his timing. He is easily the best actor in the country when it comes to comic roles.
Shaheed is above average and shows shades of brilliance once in a while. I place my two cents on this guy making it big in the Hindi film industry in next five years. Abhishek Bacchan beware!
Akshay Khanna seems to mature with every movie. He is bettering himself with every role that he does. He is versatile, he is expressive and he is composed. Only, he is the most underrated guy on our movie scene. He will surely get his due in coming days!
