July 07, 2012 Y. Sunita Chowdary
Bol Bachchan reminds you of the fun you had in Dostana, the entertainment quotient here is far better and it's a mad whacky film where one is not expected to talk of logic and purpose. It begins with the trio Ajay, Sr Bachchan and Abhishek performing to a title song and ends with Ajay and Abhishek standing precariously on either side of car that dangles on a cliff.
When Abhishek tells Ajay that what he has done is not 'fair', the latter mistakes it for his complexion and is hurt because he's been termed dark and all this preposterous conversation happens despite the lurking danger. Ajay keeps the funny and silly ones coming at regular intervals, he plays Prithviraj who loves wrestling and has a fetish for converting Hindi idioms into English. He abhors those who lie and the problems compound when Abhishek joins his palace as an employee and is compelled to lie at the drop of the hat.
The people around him, his cronies and others follow suit to cover up one lie and the rest and Ajay is in a quandary as he vacillates between truth and untruth. He has fallen in love with Sania (Asin), Abhishek's sister and on the other hand Abhishek masquerades as Abbas Ali, a Muslim and his twin brother.
Archana Puran Singh as a dancer and who doubles up as Asin and Abhishek's mother hams her way through the scenes and she along with Bachchan Junior make their trivial looking characters of a dancer and an effeminate person very easy and comfortable. A treat to watch Abhishek walk, behave and express in a manner that is embarrassing yet hilarious.
The entire episode of Abhishek having to lie that he has a twin brother and he being asked to prove his dancing skills is the highlight of the film but other than the womanly act, he doesn't put in much effort in the rest of the scenes. That Abhishek has put on considerable weight is evident on screen.
Ajay Devgn who has been labelled as having two left feet and is on his way to do the remake of Himmatwala still shows his discomfort while dancing. His comic timing is near perfect. As a simple, honest and a truth loving person with a weakness for speaking high funda English, he stretches that act a bit too far but shows the rest of his traits in an endearing fashion.
The sexulaity of Abhishek Bachchan in the film that is, has been dealt deftly and the references to Karan Johar, Shahrukh Khan, etc., by Prachi Desai could have been heightened by better acting. It takes a while to understand what she means by 'supercalifrageristicexpalidocious' but then Prachi's rant leads nowhere, she is kidnapped by Prithviraj's rival and that brings the climax closer.
Rohit Shetty doesn't take too long to establish the premise but stretches the story with the entrance of more characters who become scapegoat in the plot. Asin looks pretty and does her part well but Ajay being reminded of his lover and his sidekick terming her a bhoot doesn't add to the narrative at all, one expected her romantic track with Devgn to advance but it has been abridged for a public showdown in the form of a dance drama.
The film sounds infantile when Devgan says flowers and fruitables, it's not my cup of lassi, my eyes have fallen from my face (Main khudh apne hi nazron se gir chuka hoon), etc., but you will definitely appreciate Shetty's effort in generating gags in almost every scene. Bol Bachchan with its songs, silly fights and the combination of Devgan's innocence and Abhishek's uninhibited approach towards comedy ends as a mediocre but an undeniable time-pass movie.
