Director Subhash Kapoor has an impressive CV. With films like Phas Gaye re Obama and Jolly LLB as feathers in his cap it is but natural to expect great things from the man. We even witness flashes of his brilliance – like in the opening scene when a visa celebration party is underway to celebrate – you guessed it right – the issuing of a Kenyan visa to the local rich guy’s son.
Guddu and Rangeela are on stage singing what they call a modern bhakti song “Mata ka email”. Being nonchalantly quirky has been Kapoor’s inimitable style. Alas, in this film such refreshing quirkiness makes its presence felt only occasionally.
When the film starts, Guddu (Amit Sadh) and Rangeela (Arshad Warsi) are small town thugs who want to somehow make a quick buck. By the time the film ends we don’t really know what to make of them. More importantly we don’t even care.
A major drawback of the movie is that is changes colour every 20 minutes. The first 20 minutes are the best 20 minutes of the whole film. That’s when it comes across as a comedy flick sans slapstick and the bonhomie between Guddu and Rangeela ensure its going to be a fun ride.
The next 20 minutes, we witness their run-ins with the police and some more witty repartees. Now it seems like a good social satire. Just when we get ourselves around the whole satire business the next 20 focuses on the Khaps and the murders they sanctify and we get the feeling that the film is going to be a strong political drama.
But then come the next 20 – which inform us about the antagonist Billu Pehelwan (Ronit Roy) and his purani dushmani with our eponymous characters and we sniff pure revenge. With a sprinkling of Aditi Rao Hydari and a forced love angle thrown in, Guddu Rangeela is saddled with over wrought characters and an under cooked plot.
A film that talks of empowering women hardly lets its own female characters take centre stage. With just a handful of funny dialogues and scenes, its claims of being a comedy also fall flat. And as for a revenge drama it could never quite muster up the required intensity and punch.
“Jab crime mein personal touch aajaye to crime passionate ho jaata hai,” (When a crime has a personal motive, it become passionate) says one character in the movie. The same could hold true for the art of film making. It is this personal touch that is missing in Guddu Rangeela.
The numerous themes the film throws up are all dealt with superficially and abandoned mid-way. While Arshad Warsi is sincere and Ronit Roy impressive, there is little that they can do to save the placid play of events or the slips in their own Haryanvi accent. It’s a wasted opportunity and travesty of some genuinely good talent.
I’ll have to go with 2 QUINTS out of 5. Watch it but at your own risk.
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