Duplicate

The show is not that bad, Bablu/Manu acting is okie... great tagline. The songs are great... but too many... it's like a musical...

Babloo (Sharukh Khan) is basically a daydreamer and aspires to a chef on international repute. He is forever daydreaming of cooking at five star establishments. Manu Dada (Sharukh Khan) on the other hand is a ruthless criminal on the run. Babloo is in love with Sonia (Juhi Chawla) who is the Banquet manager of an up market hotel that Sharukh Khan works at. Manu Dada likes Lilly (Sonali Bendre). Babloo and Manu's tracks keep alternating till they converge at the interval part of the film. After which Manu takes advantage of the innocent Babloo and continues his violent escapades using Babloo's identity and Babloo uses Manu. This film was a good movie and very funny. I loved watching the fighting parts.

Duplicate is a lame-brained comedy that cheerfully showcases the manic over-acting of Shah Rukh Khan and the ditsy charm of Juhi Chawla. Check your brain at the door and just enjoy.

Khan has a double role this time, in case one of him is not enough for you: as Manu the escaped psychotic criminal and Babloo the lovable (but not too bright) mama's boy whose dream is to become head chef at a five star hotel. Normally the hardest working actor in Bollywood, SRK really outdoes himself this time: he's so over the top in both roles that I was afraid he was going to hurt himself. Throw in the fact that at one point Manu pretends to be Babloo and Babloo pretends to be Manu, and the results are chaotic fun. Juhi Chawla is sweet and endearing as always, and makes the perfect foil for Khan's silliness, even adding a bit of her own. And if you've ever wondered what SRK looks like in drag, here's your chance to see (I'll give you a hint: it's not a pretty sight.)

Also involved is Sonali Bendre as Manu's showgirl mistress, who ends up falling unknowingly for Babloo. She's beautiful and classy. I like most of the musical numbers in Duplicate, except the gratingly stupid Waji Wa song performed by Shah Rukh/Babloo with a chorus of aproned chefs and waitresses. I've developed a pretty high goofy-tolerance level since becoming interested in Hindi films, but this dance exceeded my limit. However, Waji Wa is more than balanced out by the delightful Mere Mehboob Mere Sanam dance number performed by Sonali, Juhi and Shah Rukh.

If you're in the mood for some mindless entertainment and good music, give Duplicate a try.

'Duplicate' is a failure. While Shahrukh is competent, the script is ridiculous. His role as a villain is plain nasty, while the good Shahrukh is too childish, almost behaving like a six year old. Again, Juhi Chawla is energetic, but is saddled with weak lines. The story is obvious and corny, the humor too overacted to be fun and the climax is not to be believed. One plus point: some good songs by Anu Malik, and a hot Sonali Bendre who struts her stuff very well. A disappointing film then, because it really should have been much much better. Keep hand on remote ready.

Overall 3/10

If you manage to get past the shockingly corny first 20 minutes, you'll see a pretty original film. SRK's acting is the high point, and he switches between the two roles effortlessly. The ending is stolen from an old Buddha story, but hey....