Akshay Kumar plays Shoaib Khan, a feared gangster who has the potency to halt cricket matches and fix award ceremonies. He sneers behind his shades as he declares himself as the ultimate kingpin of Mumbai. Aslam (Imran Khan) works for Shoaib. He was picked up by Shoaib due to his street-smarts, and in his formative years, Aslam has grown up to be a faithful disciple. But their admiration for each other is put at risk, when both of them fall for the same girl, Jasmine (Sonakshi Sinha). Thus, the infamous love triangle strikes back in the narrative.
The story is set in the 80s and Luthria tosses his Mumbai tale carrying the same semblance of the Bollywood films, typical to that time period: raunchy, light-hearted and melodramatic. However, the 80s backdrop has no significance in the actual story and the movie’s look doesn’t make any effort to recreate the Mumbai of that time. You may find some historical references now and then but this whole affair is a big turn-off to the audiences who expect it to be a tribute to the movies of that period.
Perhaps the eventual culprit is the weak structure of the film, which wastes ample time in introducing characters and wanders away until it’s too late to engage. The main leads, especially Akshay Kumar, are confined to hamming cheesy dialogues which make no sense at all. It’s just impossible to be fearful of a shady character who passes ridiculous lines like “Doodh me jo nimbu nichode, paneer uski”. Akshay is anything but menacing. Also, the character of Sonakshi has no real depth, her actions are confusing and her importance in the screenplay is constructed as a plot device. The supporting cast are fillers and they lie around just like furniture; their main job is to make themselves look miserable in front of the leads.
This is really an unnecessary sequel. To quote Luthria’s leading lady in The Dirty Picture, “Films become successful only for three reasons, entertainment…entertainment…and entertainment.” And what lacks here is entertainment.
Screening at QFX Cinemas
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