What is it all about?
Riotously funny and impeccably cast, Abhishek Sharma (Tere Bin Laden) second outing is a stealer. Undeniably the best ‘treatment’ given to our B-town classics, ‘The Shaukeens’ based on Basu Chatterjee’s 1982 cult classic ‘Shaukeen’ starring Ashok Kumar, Utpal Dutt, A.K. Hangal, Rati Agnihotri and Mithun Chakraborty gets un unadulterated, infectiously funny facelift.
Continuously funny and brilliantly acted, ‘The Shaukeens’ captures the genres most winning qualities making it satisfying for the audience.
Commercial prospects are buoyant, positive word of mouth from the lovers of Akshay, Bollywood and comedy will help in attracting more and more legs to ensure handsome returns.
The Story
Tigmanshu Dhulia pens a cracker over here with Sai Kabir. The most remarkable aspect of this modern adaptation of the 80’s cult classic is the essence which has being kept intact and en suited to today’s sensibilities, without losing on its whacky and wicked quotient. The writers display good skills over here, fully knowing its turf the screenplay is full of fun.
Three lecherous old men (Tharki that’s what we call in Hindi) - Pinky (Piyush Mishra), Lali (Anupam Kher) and KD (Annu Kapoor) want something exciting in their lives. Desperate to get laid these tharki buddhas face disappointment and embarrassment in India. KD - the 60 something single amongst the three decides to mingle in the exotic locales of Mauritius.
Their landlady in Maurituis Ahana (Lisa Haydon) is what they have dreamed for. The bindass phataka kudi is a weird fashion designer who is fighting her woes from a broken relationship with her boyfriend that is reducing her popularity on her FB.
A die hard Akshay Kumar fan, Ahana one day accidently bumps into Akshay Kumar in a mall where he is shooting.. Ahana now wants to meet her idol and how these three lecherous old men try to impress her by playing Akshay Kumar card forms the crux of the story.
Tigmanshu and Kabir hardly miss any step to make the audience laugh. The screenplay plays in sync with the genre and the characterizations are endearingly perfect giving an instant identification. Brilliant.
What to look out for
Abhishek Sharma in ‘Tere Bin Laden’ gave us an outlandish villain Osama to laugh out loud. Here he revisits the 1982 cult classic ‘Shaukeen’ by one of the gods of Bollywood comedies Basu Chatterjee. Here also Abhishek goes brave and shows more confidence. He experiments and comes out with flying colours.
Right from reel one to the last credits the movie is a nonstop laughter. Situational, fictional a great mix of humour. Akshay’s characterization is the knockout punch.
Abhishek’s narration makes ‘The Shaukeens’ a breezy, quirky, great whacky fun that continuously mingles with the giggles and laughter.
Performances are of highest standards over here. Making it difficult to rate the great amongst the three tharkis.
Starting with Anupam Kher who is simply brilliant with his dyed black hair finding it difficult to cope with his extremely religious gone wife, his family life and his hormones.
Annu Kapoor as the leader of this tharki three excels as KD spontaneous, hilarious great fun.
Piyush Mishra is superb as the masala king of Chandini Chowk. Pouchy with hardly any knowledge of English, the immensely talented Piyush Mishra with his twisted lips adds his own taste and flavor to his character Pinky. Extremely funny.
Lisa Haydon sets the screen on fire. She ‘curves’ her niche in to the role of a bindass bala who is crazy about superstar Akshay Kumar.
And finally it’s Akshay Kumar who just bowls you over by his tremendous act of poking fun on himself. He makes the audience laugh with him and at him this is Akashay Kumar’s most hilarious act seen after a long long time. Worth every penny of your money.
The cameos by Suniel Shetty, Dimple Kapadia, Abhishek Bachchan and Kareena Kapoor are quite funny.
Other supporting cast Rati Agnihotri,Ranjit Basu, Yuvika Chaudhary,Cyrus Broacha,Gaurav Gera and Manoj Joshi chip in with adequate support.
Sandeep Chowta’s background music does the required trick. Manali track is intoxicating and is picturised well.
Cinematography by Chaudhary Amalendu is eye pleasing. Editing by Rameshwar S. Bhagat is sharp. Production Design by Madhu Sarkar Kuriakose is rich. Production values are of highest standards. Costume design by Jennifer Gardiner is appropriate and in sync with the characters.
What Not
Extremely traditional audience may not find it that funny.
Conclusion: ‘The Shaukeens’ is unadulterated, breezy, quirky, facelift of the 1982 cult Basu Chatterjee’s classic ‘Shaukeen’. ‘The Shaukeens’ of Akshay Kumar (who spins a major hilarious surprise here), ‘Bollywood’ and ‘comedies’ will be continuously mingled with the giggles and laughter. Go laugh your heart out.
Rating ****
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