Most Welcoming

About two years back, Anees Bazmee virtually rose from the dead to give us a surprise hit in the form of No Entry. Taking us back into the David Dhawan-esque comedy of the 90s and resurrecting the comic streak in a fine Anil Kapoor, the film was lapped up by the audiences and critics alike. Now Bazmee returns with the much-publicized Welcome, his take on the 1999 Hugh Grant starrer Mickey Blue Eyes. Interestingly, the film also has shades of another recent Mallika Sherawat release, Shaadi Se Pehle (opposite Akshaye Khanna).

After feeling somewhat bombarded by the hype and publicity surrounding the film, I was a little hesitant that high expectations may result in sore disappointment. In fact, as the first 15 to 20 minutes passed in front of me and very few laughs were had, that sinking feel began to make its present felt. Why did the jokes seem so contrite? Could the ever-so-reliable Akshay Kumar/Paresh Rawal team truly be running out of steam? Maybe director Bazmee was so keen on repeating his previous success that he got carried away this time around.

Until...

Suddenly, along came a scene where Anil literally stops traffic to...paint. I sat up and took notice of a rather humorous exchange between Anil and Akshay, only for almost everything that followed to turn downright hilarious. At one point, I almost wondered if I was watching two entirely different films.

I'll not delve into the plot itself, as most of it is made available through the previews, and the twists are worth seeing for yourself. All one can say is God Bless Nana Patekar. And the aforementioned Kapoor. Both Nana and Anil are what make Welcome everything that it is. Their inane gangsters are probably the most likable characters in the entire film, and yes, they are the same people who kill for a living and ruthlessly force Akshay into an engagement with Katrina. To turn these train-wrecks of people into the more appealing of the lot shows true skill, especially given the fact that they evoke the most thunderous laughter of all. Hats off to Nana, in particular, for playing a character so out of the norm from his usual work and doing so with flying colors. The audience truly lapped up almost his every word and movement.

Of course, both Nana and Anil are ably supported by Akshay and Paresh, both veterans of the "leave-your-brains-behind" humor bracket. Akshay is superb in the first half as the seedha man of principals he portrays, and his shyness around Katrina is both humorous and endearing. Paresh takes his most applauded character to date - that of Baburao from Hera Pheri and mixes him with his stubborn turn in Cheeni Kum. Sadly, both he and Akshay are relegated to the background for a lot of the second half, but since Nana and Anil are quite on top of their game, you don't mind too much.

Katrina looks absolutely stunning, but she is given very little to do other than add the glamor quotient. And after dubbing her own lines in Namastey London and Apne earlier this year, she's back to having her voice dubbed for her. Granted it's the familiar voice that we now associate with the actress, but it would be nice to see her using her own voice after having been around for a couple of years now. Mallika is actually given more meat to show off her funny side, and she does a fair job of it. Although she really is just there as the quintessential sex bomb, and the males around me in the cinema seemed most appreciative.

Feroz Khan is his wacky self. Sometimes one can't but wonder if he is for real, but by now we're used to his queer on-screen persona. Whoever plays his son sure grates on the nerves (even if he is supposed to in the film, at times it's a little unbearable).

If the overall humor and performances lift the films, the length and music drag it down. As said earlier, the film takes its sweet time to pick up. People who rent it on DVD would risk switching it off and missing the revelry that follows once all the characters have been introduced. Also, the last 20 minutes turn into pure Priyadarshan mayhem. And this is not a Priyadarshan film. It gets bad to the extent that you wish you were watching at home with a fast-forward option at hand.

Himesh Reshammiya's music is god awful. The title track is probably the most catchy simply because it graces the TV every five or so minutes on every other Indian channel. Hoth Rasiley
is the most interesting and elevated by Malaika Arora-Khan's sensuous appearance. Much to the audience's dismay, the first song we are subjected to is the agonizing Kola Laka Vellari, for which even Google is yet to come up with an explanation. It's tortuous so much so that I heard groans from various sectors of the screening room. Fortunately, the remainder of the songs are shot keeping the comedy alive, hence it is a riot to watch Anil and Nana's antics in insha'Allah and Kiya Kiya.

Essentially, it's a brainless film with all the wit in the world. It is absolutely incredulous and yet leaves you in hysterics more often than not. Some sluggish pacing at the start and end plus inferior music is not enough reason to not go see the film, and Anil and Nana alone are enough reason to go have a look.

Verdict? Worth your RSVP.

A Family Affair

From the moment the promos of Gandhi My Father hit the screen, one got the impression this would be a very special cinematic experience. Right from the montage to the tag line ("To the nation, he was a father...To his son, he was a father he never had"), everything about the film shrieks of the art genre, something made for the film festivals. Not to mention, the film marks the return of Anil Kapoor the producer, after the disastrous Badhaai Ho Badhaai in 2002. Can't remember Badhaai Ho Badhaai? No worries, there's a good reason for that.

Moving along, the film brings the focus back on Mahatma Gandhi after last year's blockbuster Lage Raho Munnabhai made gandhigiri the latest fashion. Any comparison between the two would, however, be entirely inappropriate - one is a serious biopic and the other a moral comedy.

Gandhi: My Father essentially traces the tumultuous relationship between Gandhi and his son, Harilal. It literally runs like a biography with the occasional flash from past to present. At times you ponder the overall point of the film, only to realize that it has no conflict or resolution as such - it is simply an untold chapter of Gandhi's life.

What works for the film is the fact that it is a compelling story. While it is certainly not for those of you looking for a bit of song and dance, it is definitely recommended for art cinema enthusiasts. Yes, the film moves at a sluggish pace and is often hard to get through, but a part of you remains curious enough to explore this part of Gandhi's life, a facet seldom encountered both on celluloid and in the history books.

In addition, the film is laden with excellent performances from the lead cast. Akshaye Khanna may forever be known as the untapped talent of Indian cinema, but here he gets the license to show everyone what he's made of. At times you may think he is resorting to histrionics, but not if you take into consideration the intensity of Harilal and the torment he undergoes throughout his life. It's almost sad that Akshaye is never really given his due, as he has a fair amount of reputable performances in his repertoire.

It's a bit of a breakout performance for Darshan Jariwala as well, whose prior acting credits include bit roles in films like Honeymoon Travels Pvt. Ltd. and Aap Ka Suroor. At this point there have been so many representations of Gandhi on screen that it is hard to decipher a stand-out performance from an ordinary one, but Mr. Jariwala makes his presence felt.

Shefali Shah is outstanding as Kasturba Gandhi. Again, we have an underrated performer who makes the most of the opportunity bestowed upon her.

Bhumika Chawla is an improvement from her previous ventures, although one really wonders what sort of future she has in the industry. Good on her for doing some nice work in a critically-acclaimed film such as this, but after a reasonably successful debut in Tere Naam, one feels like she never really took off.

But the film is certainly not without its flaws. Even after the film reaches its climax, there is a sense of it being incomplete. So much effort went into fact-checking the history, bringing into light another side of Gandhi, etc. etc...one only wishes the filmmakers had gone that extra mile and left a lasting impression on the viewer.

Instead, the viewer comes out of the film thinking it was "a nice film", when it is clear the intent was to be more of an epic. Also, the aforementioned pace is an issue - perhaps some small scenes could have been cut or better transitions utilized, because there are several moments when the film is unable to hold its grip on your attention.

Having said that, there are also scenes that should have been inserted into the film. Quite a few details remain unexplained, and some of these are the details that escalate into serious conflicts. Why does Gandhi encourage Indian youths to study abroad and then discourage his own son from doing so? This is just one of a number of questions that should have been answered.

Verdict? Watch if you can appreciate good acting and offbeat cinema.