The Factory is losing Steam. If they continue making duds like `Darwaza Bandh Rakho' then they've got a bleak future glaring them deep in the eye. Alright, the premise of kidnapping a whole bunch of diverse band of people is interesting. As the movie proceeds, a few chuckles crackle you in bits. The brief length also goes in its favour. But, what was director Chakravorthy thinking when he gave that hideous look to a non-happening actor like Aftab Shivdasani who is going from bad to worse. And it's difficult to come to terms with the romantic angle between a jaded Chunky Pandey and once-upon-a-time `Ek Ladki Ko Dekha' girl Manisha Koirala. `Kisna' village belle Isha Sharvani seems to have lost the plot. Or else why would she indulge in this hackneyed bhel puri roaming around in a skimpy skirt (It is as if it would slip down any time). And she doesn't do what she is best at: Dancing. If Chakri aimed at making yet another RGV style song-less `wonder' then he sorely missed the point.
So, what's the plot all about? Well, four wastrels Ajay (Aftab), Raghu (Chaunkey), Goga (Snehal Dhabi) and Abbas (Zakir Hussain) kidnap builder Tarneja's (Gulshan Grover) mischievous daughter Isha (Isha Sharvani) and keep her in the fledgling bungalow of a rich-businessman-gone-bust Kantilal Shah (Ishrat Ali). Shah's family including his wife, mother, daughter, son and maid Chameli (Divya Dutta) are also kept as hostages till the time Isha's father arranges for the Rs 1 crore booty. The plot loses its thickness as more and more people start falling into the marshy gallows of the kidnappers as if it's a game of nine pins.
The good hearted Ajay loses his heart to Isha while the second-in-command Raghu takes a liking for sales girl Julie (Manisha Koirala). Goga is the butt of jokes while Abbas takes up the mantle of full-fledged-villain as he plans to dupe his accomplices once Tarneja complies with their wishes. By this time, a pizza delivery boy Mughal-e-Azam (Nitin Raikwar), Shetty (Jeeva), a veterinary doctor Kota Shrinivasan Rao, Chameli's Constable-husband amongst others join the `party'. Chakri in his attempt to give a madcap-finale-feel ends up conjuring cacophony-n-buffoonery as the ensemble gentry living under the same roof start dreaming of getting their share of the booty.
Chakri manages to evoke a few laughs here-n-there. But where he goes wrong is his casting. The bankable stars like Aftab Shivdasani fall flat while the unexpected ones like Ishrat Ali's Kanti Bhai Shah is hilarious. Even the animal doctor evokes full throttle laughter in a brief part. Snehal Dhabi (Goga) is generally bankable in movies like `Love Ke Liye Kuch Bhi Karenga', `Satya' and `Hera Pheri', but given a main role, he fails to elicit the same kind of chuckles. As for Zakir Hussain, then he is cast well in the brooding complexes prone ruffian that can't be relied upon.
The problem with Aftab in this film is his weird get up and uncool-long-hair. It's important for filmmakers to understand that whenever Aftab is expected to make a film work on his own shoulders he tends to buckle down under pressure. And whenever he has stars like Akshay Khanna (Hangama) and Masti (Viveik Oberoi), he seems more relaxed. Isha Sharvani is wasted in an inconsequential role. Manisha on her part is better than expected. Although she is not doing anything about her growing weight, Koirala still has enough capability left in her as an actress of consequence.
The background music score by Amar Mohile is one of the positives emerging from the film. His situational quirks are almost a part of the narrative. There's nothing extraordinary in dialogues or screenplay. As for Chakravorthy's direction, then he has a future as a director but only if he gets his casting correct. Moreover, he has to be clear as to what genre of filmmaking he is aspiring for in a particular mo
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