This is a throwback to the 80s masala-style film which works when it is parodying the films of those era, but drenches hard on melodrama that gets on your nerves after the first half. It earns some loud laughs and has some really creative gags but forgets it is a farce before ending as a forgettable affair. [break]
Vishwas (Shahid Kapoor) aspires to become a star of the silver screen. Since childhood, he has been smitten by the acting bug; however, his mother (Padmini Kolhapure) disapproves this and instead, urges him to pick a profession of an honest policeman, who would fight against all the evils of the society and bail humanity from injustice. Talk about parental pressure!
And Vishwas, being a momma’s boy, is fearful to hurt his mother’s feelings but at the same time stands true to his desire. His fate lands him in Mumbai to struggle for a place in the alluring film industry. Thus, Vishwas finds himself in strings of outrageous situations wherein he fabricates tall tales of him being a cop so as to convince his mother and at the same time, balance his stint as an actor.
Santoshi also mixes few sub-plots, including corrupt policemen and comic gangsters, to obstruct our hero. The acting doesn’t disappoint though. Shahid steers his part with decent comic timing and has fun while doing it. He’s just a natural here. The supporting cast of Zakir Hussain, Saurabh Shukla and Padmini Kolhapure also inspire some funny set-pieces and witty confrontations. The same cannot be said for Ileana, who retains her same “woo-girl” image that she’s been sporting down South. Her character instantly falls for the hero and to nobody’s surprise, is madly after the hero and acts half her character’s age.
Wandering away from the humor material, the writing baffles you when you expect it to deliver. And after a few laughs and a horrible climax, there’s too much confusion and slapstick comedy that just overwhelms until you seek the nearest exit door.
Phata Poster Nikla Hero is a mediocre comedy that feels stretched away when it hits the melodramatic pitch.
Screening at QFX Cinemas
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