Someone let the ‘Saheb Biwi Gangster’ franchise out to dry and every piece of beauty evaporated. What’s left is some granular grandiose and a hollow husk of its former self!
There was something utterly charming about the world of decadent royalty that Tigmanshu Dhulia had conjured up – palace intrigue taking centre stage as we try and negotiate the crazy labyrinth of greed, lust and conspiracies.
What started off as a hat tip to the classic ‘Saheb, Biwi aur Ghulam’ (1962), and managed to come on its own in the second instalment, has fatally lost the way in its latest outing.
Ex-royals are trying all kinds of tricks and tacts to salvage their erstwhile legacy. Aditya Pratap Singh (Jimmy Shergill) of Devgarh, freshly out of jail, aches for attention and is eager to get his grip back on things.
But his biggest competition turns out to be his own wife Madhavi, played by Mahie Gill. Gill effortlessly plays the sanskaari biwi to saheb, and the sultry seductress keeps us hooked on screen.
In fact, the only time the film seems to mirror its past glory is when Aditya and Madhavi surrender to their unhinged desire to checkmate each other.
We watched with relish as devious plans were forged and wondered if we are more in the know of things or the characters themselves.
Shergill and Gill are in top form! But sticking out like a sore thumb is the ungainly presence of the ‘gangster’.
Sanjay Dutt, the gangster, is an expert in Russian roulette and owns a pub in London called ‘House of Lords’. Of royal lineage himself, he is trapped in a loveless marriage and self imposed exile and is seen skyping with his lady love (Chitrangada Singh).
He comes back to the country to play more Russian roulette and ask for his share in the property that daddy Kabir Bedi and brother Deepak Tijori are unwilling to part with.
A screechy ‘Baba’ theme song plays each time he walks into the frame. It is painful to see him trying to fit into his character that just isn’t cut out for his ‘Munna Bhai’ swagger.
The biggest disappointment is the writing for which not one but two people are credited.
Dhulia and Sanjay Chauhan have included forgettable songs, a twirling Chitrangada Singh who has precious little to do, and a script spread so thin that it appears fake and vacuous.
It is a tragedy that ‘Saheb, Biwi Aur Gangster 3’ is a highly forgettable film.
1.5 Quints out of 5.
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