Desi Boyz Review

What really works in favour of 'Desi Boyz' is the fact that it has a definite story to tell. A subject like this could have been tested frivolously but first time director Rohit Dhawan has ensured that he throws in quite a few bits and pieces of everything to make it one 'masala' affair. A set up like 'Desi Boyz' may have seemed like all fun and no seriousness had Rohit chosen so. However the young man definitely seems to be confident in his very first venture as a result of which he also brings in enough moments that work for the young as well as not-so-young audience.

As has been pretty much conveyed in the promos of the film, Akshay Kumar and John Abraham play friends who reluctantly take on the profession of male escorts once Sanjay Dutt offers them this opportunity to make a living in recession ridden times. However what comes as a pleasant surprise to the audience is that this element just remains at the peripheral with quite a few other elements that describe the true essence of 'Desi Boyz'.

So what one gets to see is some true friendship between Akshay and John, the love story involving John and Deepika, some paternal sentiments between Akshay and his nephew and a naughty romantic cum educational rendezvous between Akshay and Chitrangda. All of this is pretty much peppered with Anupam Kher's bonding with John and an extended cameo by Omi Vaidya which makes this two hour affair a racy ride that keeps then momentum on till the culmination of end credits roll. Moreover Sanjay Dutt's presence brings in the much enjoyable macho element while Chitrangda's small, but interesting part brings in crowd friendly moments too.

Moreover there are emotional bits too with smiles and moist eyes guaranteed in each of the scenes where the kid appears with Akshay. Thankfully none of it is overdone while the kid too doesn't get into a filmy zone, hence making one relate to the moments on screen. Ditto for the scenes where Akshay and John have their fair share of conflicts and arguments. However here too Rohit's treatment is restrained and the kind that never goes over the top. Same holds good for the John and Deepika episode as well where there is a heart break for sure but it never borders on being melodramatic or stretched.

Even though the 'Desi Boyz' team has been playing safe by claiming that it is a dramedy with drama as well as comic elements, the fact remains that there are ample comic elements interspersed in the narrative. Whether it is the 'flashback' bar sequence, Akshay and John's first ever meeting with Dutt, Omi Vaidya's scenes with Deepika or the strip-study session with Chitrangda, there is laughter guaranteed at regular intervals.

Any sore points here? Well, the threat sequence at Satish Kaushik's office during the pre-climax sticks out (for all the wrong reasons) as being totally unreal in a film which was meant to be believable. Also, the court room sequence is a little stretched and though the Sanjay Dutt re-introduction does carry a spark, it could have been curtailed a little.

Still, what ensures that fun never stops for all the 'desi' audience are chartbuster songs by Pritam that result in 'paisa vasool' treatment. Technically too the film is top notch as it bears a rich look throughout, boasts of eye catchy visuals, has a controlled background score and has eye catchy sets, especially during the songs.

'Desi Boyz' has to be one of those rarest of rare instance of a film that has been certified 'A' without an ounce of nudity, foul language or an element of violence in it. While this is pretty much something that makes one wonder what was the big fuss around the adult content of 'Desi Boyz', the fact remains that the film is instead a breezy entertainer that not just keeps the smiles on for most part of the narrative but also results in moist eyes due to it's emotional content. Now that's the true spirit of 'Desi Boyz'.

Rating: ****

Public Review