|  Hungama
Movie Review
Fun unlimited - that's what the publicity campaign of
HUNGAMA, directed by Priyadarshan, promises.
But when you embark on a journey called
HUNGAMA, you realise that the director has provided
laughter unlimited, but logic takes a complete backseat
as the story unfolds.
In short, Priyadarshan takes the David
Dhawan route of entertaining the masses, but packs it
with his own brand of wit and humour that one witnessed
in his earlier flick HERA PHERI.
Anjali [Rimi Sen], a young village girl,
desperately wants a job. But she gets it only when Jeetu
[Akshaye Khanna] misunderstands her as the daughter
of a tycoon, Radheshyam Tiwari [Paresh Rawal].
Jeetu wants a small initial investment
to make it big in life. But to get started, he has to
rob his father. And now he is in search of a rich woman
he can marry.
Nandu [Aftab Shivdasani] dreams of becoming
a famous singer, but his parents are dead against it.
So he has to run away from home and live in Mumbai on
his own. Anjali and Nandu are forced to live under one
roof and have to pretend to be married.
Anil [Sanjay Narvekar], a bank employee,
wants to marry the only daughter of a rich person, Tejabhai
alias Kachraseth [Shakti Kapoor]. But to impress the
girl, he pretends to be the son of Radheshyam Tiwari.
Mrs. Tiwari [Shoma Anand] is happily
married to her husband, Radheshyam. But her encounter
with Kachraseth makes her believe that her husband has
sons and daughters outside their marriage.
Radheshyam never wants to believe that
his wife loves a young lad called 'Jeetu from Videocon'.
But the proof substantiating the same is rock solid
and soon the circumstances are such that their marriage
is on the rocks.
Things go out of hand as confusion prevails
and chaos reigns supreme...
Inspired from Priyadarshan's Malayalam
film, the first half-an-hour of HUNGAMA is extremely
confusing. That's because the director introduces all
the characters and their stories in the first two reels
itself.
Whether it is the conflict between Akshaye
and his miser-dad, or Rimi's desperate search for a
job, or Aftab's hunt for a home as well as a job, or
Paresh Rawal and his wife [Shoma Anand] moving to their
city home, or Sanjay Narvekar's strategy of getting
rich overnight by marrying Shakti Kapoor's daughter,
all these tracks are unveiled at the start of the film
itself.
Although the first half-an-hour abounds
in bewilderment and confusion, it must be pointed out
that the funny situations all these characters land
into, keeps the viewer in splits. Director Priyadarshan's
funda is clear - Provide non-stop entertainment, even
if logic or reality goes out of the window.
The director's contribution looms large
in sequences when Paresh Rawal suspects his wife Shoma
Anand of having an affair with Akshaye Khanna and, in
turn, Shoma Anand suspects Paresh of indulging in an
extra-marital relationship with Rimi Sen. Besides, the
last half-an-hour of the film is truly funny and the
fight in Shakti Kapoor's godown as also the 'electric
shock' sequence are sure to bring the house down.
On the flip side, the director has relied
so heavily on gags, punches and wit that the story takes
a backseat. The film, to be honest, looks like an amalgamation
of several well executed sequences, that's it. Even
the finale, when Rimi has to make a choice between the
two heroes, leaves you with the feeling that the writer
was in a tearing hurry to culminate their love story.
On the other hand, Neeraj Vora's dialogues
are the mainstay of the enterprise. They succeed in
enhancing the impact of light scenes. Cinematography
is alright, though not a patch on Priyadarshan's earlier
works.
Nadeem-Shravan's music is ear-pleasing
but, strangely, all the songs have been featured as
dream sequences. Moreover, the songs come up without
valid situations, making you feel as if they have been
incorporated in the film because Hindi films are, perhaps,
incomplete without song and dance routines.
The performances of the entire cast
are loud, but one doesn't mind that since the film is
frivolous in any case. Akshaye Khanna is the sober of
the lot and like always, comes up with a decent performance.
Aftab Shivdasani is reasonably good,
although he doesn't get much scope to display histrionics.
Newcomer Rimi Sen takes you by surprise. Extremely attractive
and photogenic, the actress holds on despite sharing
the frame with seasoned performers.
Paresh Rawal is loud and theatrical,
but it goes well in a film like this. The masses are
sure to like him. Shoma Anand is equally convincing,
although she tends to go overboard in a few sequences.
Shakti Kapoor is as usual. Rajpal Yadav is brilliant,
although he comes in quite late in the film. Tiku Talsania
and Upasna Singh are fair. Sanjay Narvekar is so-so.
On the whole, HUNGAMA is a light entertainer
with several hilarious moments. At the box-office, the
business will be best in Mumbai. |
