Just before you think that F.A.L.T.U. is yet another college romcom in the offering, hold on for a second. That's because the film is not a romcom, it is indeed a 'dramcom' where drama and comedy run parallel to each other.
F.A.L.T.U. starts in a manner that one expected it to be. Three youngsters (Jackky Bhagnani, Puja Gupta, Angad Bedi) just want to have their quota of fun. They are pretty much carefree about their career ahead and resultantly fail to get admission in any college. They try to take help of their fourth friend's (Chandan Roy Sanyal) influential father (Akbar Khan) but are ridiculed there as well.
However life takes a turn for them when together, they end up setting a fake university by default. Soon there are hundreds of students who throng the university and now the quartet has a task cut out for them to create a roadmap for everyone's career ahead. In this endeavour of theirs, they are supported by Arshad Warsi (who is a man for all seasons) and Riteish Deshmukh (who is a motivational help).
Let's face it, the film's basic premise is as truly unbelievable as it is impossible to imagine everything around the university, its hostel, it's maintenance cost, other bills etc. to be funded without any financial backing. However once audience gets it in his/her mind that it is a movie which is being watched rather than a serious docudrama, F.A.L.T.U. turns into an enjoyable watch.
The initial scenes where these friends are is struggling to get admission into a college, the sequence when they take help from Arshad and Riteish, the twist in the tale when hundreds of students land up at the university - all of this keeps the fun element on during the first half of the film.
Second half stays on to be enjoyable as well though there is more drama than comedy in this part of the film. Jackky's conversation with his dad (Darshan Zariwala) where the latter explains to him the meaning of something waste turning useful after all, his idea of making things far more productive at the college, the extended sequence at a graveyard where all students come together to select a choice of their subject - there are quite a few highlight sequences that ensure that F.A.L.T.U. doesn't dip.
There are portions towards the latter part of the film which could entice mixed reactions from the audience though. Celebrities talking to camera about what goes behind excelling in their respective fields may be either grabbed with both hands or could see indifference coming their way. However from the message perspective, these scenes are bang on.
What takes the film to a different high altogether though is the song 'Awaaz' which forms the climax of the film. A stage dance performed by all the 'faltus', it boasts of some brilliant choreography that belongs to never seen before variety.
Amongst performances, Jackky leads from the front and shows a maturity in approaching his character as he transforms from a beer guzzling youngster to someone who tries to find a meaning in not just his life but also that of his college-mates. He dances brilliantly as well, especially in the song 'Fully faltus'. From this point on, he should be finding a good standing for himself in the industry.
Puja not just looks pretty but also acts confidently with an uninhibited approach. She is supposed to be casual in the film but never goes overboard. Chandan gets a lengthy role for himself post 'Kaminey' and impresses in practically every scene that he appears. As for Angad, one can see a good actor behind a tough physique.
Amongst the 'veterans' in the cast, Arshad and Riteish prove to be the anchors in the scenes where they appear. Cast in meaningful roles which are not mere guest appearances, they leave a mark. Amongst other actors, Darshan Zariwala leaves maximum impact, especially in the two scenes where he explains the meaning of 'kabaad' to his son.
At the end of it all, director Remo D'Souza ensures that F.A.L.T.U. stays on to be an entertainer with soul. You expect a cool campus entertainer from F.A.L.T.U. After all songs like 'Chaar Baj Gaye', 'Fully Faltu.', 'Bhoot Aaya' and especially 'Le Ja' (all composed by Sachin-Jigar) have already become quite popular over the weeks gone by which means that campus crowds have already been enticed enough to check out the fun quotient that the film brings on. But then the film's purpose is not just to entertain but also educate. And it does that successfully in it's own sweet manner.
Rating: ***1/2
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