Fatso Review

There are good expectations that one carries from an alternate camp that the likes of Rajat Kapoor, Saurabh Shukla and Vinay Pathak have cultivated over the years. However, not-so-entertaining outings in the form of 'Raat Gayi Baat Gayi' and 'Pappu Can't Dance Saala' has made one apprehensive of products coming out of this camp. Now (unfortunately) add 'Fatso' to the list. What seemed like a wonderful idea seems to have been left at a half baked stage, hence turning out to be an affair that would go largely unnoticed.

Gul Panag and Purab Kohli are in love. However latter dies in an accident. On reaching heaven, the 'forces-in-charge' realise that this was a mistake since it was common friend (Ranvir Shorey) who had to die instead. Praub's soul is pronto sent back to earth and it enters Ranvir's body, only to resume a love story with Gul that seemed to have come to a dead end. In the middle of this all, there is another angle to this love story with Neil Bhoopalam trying to gain Gul's attention as well.

With a plot like this, number of angles could have been explored. The film could have gone ahead with a 'Lok Parlok' (Jeetendra, Prem Nath) kind of scenario or taken a 'Taqdeerwala' (Venkatesh, Kadar Khan) if they intended to explore afterlife. There could have been a conflict of soul v/s body. Even the love story could have been captivating with 'Yeh Vaada Raha' setting which had a similar set up with Rishi Kapoor in love with Poonam Dhillon and then Tina Munim.

However, 'Fatso' doesn't quite turn out to be the film that it could have been. Though it tries to be funny as well as romantic alternatively, the grip in the narrative is clearly missing. Neither does one get into a loud laughter at many junctures, nor does one feel really emotionally connected to the love story in motion here.

Now that's a pity because the film starts off decently and as the film moves towards the interval point, there is a decent build up to the tale as well. In fact one expects the drama to peak with good comic moments as well once Purab's soul enters the body of Ranvir. However the results carry far lesser impact than last year's Hollywood release 'The Change-Up' (Ryan Reynolds and Jason Bateman).

Thankfully, and as expected, performances are well in place, just like has been the case with practically every film helmed by Rajat Kapoor in the past. Though no one gets overtly sentimental here, the fact that the actors ensure that you do break into a smile at many junctions is a mini-win of sorts. Also, there are at least a couple of sequences that one takes home, especially the one where functioning of heaven (in full 'babu' style a la dealings on earth) is in play. It is genuinely funny, especially with ever-so-dependable Brijendra Kala bringing on laughs.

However such sequences are far and few which means at the end of it all, 'Fatso' doesn't quite turn out to be one 'fat entertainer' in the offering. Also, one word for the film's title here. Despite being termed as 'Fatso', it isn't as much about the protagonist (who turns central by virtue of the title) played by Ranvir but instead an story inter-cut between him and Purab. Moreover for those hunting for trivia, the film (which was conceptualised a few years back) was also supposed to be titled 'A Quadrangular Love story'. One wonders whether that would have better suited the final product that has now been unveiled.

Rating: **