Saturday, July 14, 2007

Deepa Gahlot doesn't like it either

Abbas-Mustan have found the easy way out… pick a not very well-known Hollywood film, get a writer to adapt it, sign up stars and shoot at foreign locations. Sometimes they hit the bull’s eye, sometimes not — as with their latest Naqaab, which is too twisty—turny for its own good.The other odd thing is that Dubai seems to have become a suburb of Mumbai. Anyone from a poor Goan girl escaping a stalker, to an our-of-work actor, to an aspiring filmmaker, probably could just catch a cab and go to Dubai, like they would from Andheri to Nariman Point. They don’t even encounter a stray Arab on the way!In this film lifted from Dot the I, a waitress called Sophie D’Costa (Urvashi Sharma) is engaged to rich guy Karan (Bobby Deol), when she goes to dine with her shrieky gal pals at a restaurant and is told there is a an Egyptian tradition which says that if a to-be-married girl dances with a stranger, it will bring luck. So she picks Vicky (Akshaye Khanna)—in the first of many script conveniences- and he turns up the next day claiming to have fallen in love with her. He even uses lines from the original (“Just once! Just one glass of water! In a brightly lit public place! We don’t even have to speak!”).A voice on the phone keeps telling him what to do, and there are flashes of him signing some papers, by which one gathers that he has an agenda in wooing Sophie. And she is attracted to his crazy casualness (drinking wine in coffee mugs!) as opposed to the stiff formality of her millionaire fiancĂ©. Sophie ditches Karan, quite literally at the altar and when she goes to Vicky, they have a shock in store. Till this point, it looked like the three were playing games with one another.Audience’s curiosity is sought to piqued by the device of video cameras—hidden and visible—shooting every character. Then the directors turn around and play games with the audience. Without revealing what happens, because there is a bit of suspense—it can be said that the plot gets so outrageous and absurd that film turns into an unintended comedy.No performance worth commenting on, but the newcomer Urvashi gets to preen over the entire opening credits in different costumes, as if it were her showreel. She’s a pretty Udita Goswami-Minissha Lamba look alike – but no sign of talent yet.

(Afternoon)

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Why dozn't he like it? Naqaab is worth to watch. It has thrilled me in such a way that I'm waiting to watch Race and Mr. Fraud (Next films of Abbas Mustan) Akshaye Khanna, what can I say about this gifted actor? He is wonderful and rocking _ terrific acting!

Anonymous said...

Exactly!!

Anonymous said...

What????Do you agree with "Deepa Gahlot doesn't like it either" or the first Anonymous...

Anonymous said...

The Anonymous, ofcourse!

Anonymous said...

Naqaab is the best suspense thriller I have watched till date.The plot is excellent.The direction by master minds Abbas and Mustan are fabulous.The acting of Akshaye Khanna was outstanding. He's mindblowing and first-rate! Urvashi Sharma and Bobby Deol are good too. What really thrilled me was the second half with such tricky twist and turns.The movie was totally unpredictable unlike other suspense movies. It is a must watch movie of the year and Abbas Mustan have proved once again that they are the master of the thrillers. Please don't listen to others! Go ahead and Watch Naqaab!

Anonymous said...

It's a refreshing thriller with a different technique of executing the plot by Abbas Mustan. Akshaye Khanna and Urvashi Sharma are fantastic and brilliant. I love their chemistry and their romance onscreen.