The film takes its title from the evergreen hit of the 60’s Jhoom barabar jhoom sharaabi…

 

The film is cast in a pure escapist mould. Don’t tax your brains, just lay back on the recliners and enjoy. The billion dollar question is; does the film offer it?

 

The first half is a bit slow, while the second half is better. Also many a dialogues in the first half are in French, which might not augur well with the audiences.

 

The film builds on a fairly routine happening; a man meets a woman while receiving fiancé at a Railway station. Their common ground, their respective fiancé arrive on the same train.

 

Thus we have the protagonists, Riki Thukral (Abhishek Bachchan) and Alvira Khan (Preity Zinta) starting on a bit tentative note. Eventually they start telling each other their stories. How each of them got to know their fiancé.

 

Riki survives doing odd jobs and is in The Ritz on the fateful night Princess Diana and Fayed Al Dodi were killed (the film even has Diana and Dodi look alikes). He met Anaida (Lara Dutta), a manager with The Ritz over there.

 

However, the deal he is brokering for the French falls through and he is left with no money to pay his bills. He ends up doing dishes; however he convinces Anaida to let him go to London to get money to settle the bill.

 

Alvira meets Steve (Bobby Deol) of the famous Singh and Steve law firm at Madame Tussaud’s. Steve rescues her from Superman’s wax figure crashing on her. As he drops her in his (stretch) Limo; Alvira falls for his charms.

 

Now the catch is both have built up their stories, none of them is engaged. Lara is in fact a hooker Laila; while Bobby is in fact a mama’s boy working as an optician. And thus unfolds the climax at London’s Southhall (fondly referred to as mini India)

 

The film has a unique narrative, which might be confusing to the conventional lot; still those flocking the multiplexes (many) will like it. There are very many funny instances in the movie complete with sarcasm.  

• While discussing Madame Tussaud’s; Abhishek mentions the Indians together with Ash and Bachchan but gives a flip to SRK (granted there was no SRK when the film was being shot)
• Alvira’s friend Neil (gay) having a crush on Satvinder (now Neil not only acts as Karan Johar he even looks like him. Seriously, in the end credits I even looked out for K Jo’s name!)

Directorially Shaad Ali Sehgal is in form; except for ‘The Ritz’ chunk. Ritesh Soni could have edited the film better. Screenplay and dialogues by Habib Faisal are fine; though the dialogues could have been better. Cinematography and production design match the vibrant mood of the film.

 

Abhishek Bachchan with his new look and rustic mannerisms proves that he is fast evolving into a fine actor. Preity Zinta is her spontaneous self adding the much needed spunk to her character, Alvira. Bobby Deol impresses both as Steve and Satvinder. Lara Dutta impresses as Laila but as Anaida she looks artificial. Amitabh Bachchan is used for the title track and though his presence is not explained; he adds the zing to Jhoom Barabar Jhoom both the song and the film.

 

Rating: 5 on 10