Musafir

The basic plot of the film Musafir (literal translation: Traveler), revolves around Lucky (Kapoor), a small time conman who inadvertently steals a hefty sum from an underworld kingpin, Billa (Dutt), only to lose it to his thieving mistress. Billa has Lucky work off the debt by transporting his narcotics. Thus begins the story of Musafir (the Traveler). Unfortunately though Lucky, the womanizer, can't keep his eyes of luscious ladies and this is where the excitement begins.

Add to this, Sam (Reddy), the damsel in distress; Tiger (Panscholi), the corrupt police officer; Luka (Manjrekar) the domineering husband; and, Whacko Jacko (Shakti) a small time drug dealer; and you have a tinned spaghetti western.

A poor copy of Sean Penn's U-Turn, this movie however does have a few good action sequences, especially from, The Man, Dutt himself and a bunch of corny dialogues. Be sure to check out the sizzling Sameera Reddy and newbie Koena Mitra as Kapoor's mistress.

I am no critic. I watch movies just to have a good time. I don't get paid to criticize or praise a movie. I will not praise a movie just because it has one of my favorite actors, Sanjay Dutt. Sanjay Dutt is one of the top five actors in India on my list ( Others are Naseeruddin Shah, Amir Khan, Irfan and Om Puri). But its sad to see him doing movies like Rudraksh, Plan, Kaante and all these new formula movies. The only purpose of these new movies is to make the viewers believe we are getting closer to Hollywood but in reality we are giving up our originality and wasting talents like Sanjay Dutt with movies like Musafir. Cleavages, Guns, Leather, Silver, Gold, Drugs can look good in a movie if the movies actually has a storyline, a theme, a SCRIPT! Musafir is nothing but a Suzuki engine inside the body of a Lamborghini. Its all looks but no torque. If you liked Kaante then you will probably like this movie because both those movies have something in common, they're both "kool" but have no substance.

Remember the American movie (Single White Female - 1992)? When (Jennifer Jason Leigh) was psychologically unstable, and went to imitate her roommate (Bridget Fonda) in nearly EVERYTHING! Well, I did remember it while watching (Musafir), whereas it imitates ridiculously American ANYTHING!

Director (Sanjay Gupta), who directed (Musafir) and co-wrote it, ensures whatever you may demand out of a purely commercial movie from the contemporary Indian cinema. And in the same time, his movie represents the majority of Bollywood production in the 2000s, as an ideal example for the shinny bottom that this cinema can reach!

First off, despite any onslaught you may do against (Gupta), you must admit that; with intensive technique, the man delivered what he promised. And what exactly did he promise? "Blood. Money. Sex. Tears. Murder. Betrayal.". Just like the tagline said it frankly.. So "Get the picture?!". But could ripping-off American movies, as well as imitating blindly their atmosphere and style, be a "style" in itself? I think: Yes. However, what a shameful proof of lack that could be!

I liked the old Indian movies. Surely they got their own problems, but at least were more original and more Indian. Now, and especially in (Musafir), it's nothing but American movies, American video clips, American style, and American music. Here, (Sanjay Gupta) made a mix of: A stolen American movie; Oliver Stone's (U Turn - 1997) this time + A gangsta rap singer's music video; overloaded with many girls, golden teeth, undulate smoke, rich limos, loud music, hostile lyrics, and - let's not forget - ice cubes in a glass of wine! + Some of Robert Rodriguez's style (in one sequence it seemed like a Desi Desperado!) + Possible plot concerning an angry Indian Don, filled with enough flying bullets and various corpses. All of that in a colorful, prurient, and psychedelic world that lengthens for - if you can stand - 151 minutes. It's hot, big, and in your face mix that embodies the crime Indian movie as pure American as it could be!

So, what this entertaining movie from the east could say? That the American pop became the pop?! It was like watching an overlapping of broadcasts that included the MTV channel, an American movie channel, and some Indian movie channel; all at once. So if you used to call the flashy pastime flicks a cotton candy, then this is the dope. Seriously, I felt that somebody gave (U Turn) a cheap Indian narcotic to hallucinate all what we watched!

Maybe it says that Bollywood has gone bankrupt. It has thick flamboyant surface and nothing else. For what it is, this is natural. For instance, James Bond movies have thick flamboyant surface and nothing else. But you know what?, Bond movies don't endeavor to be Indian! They have a script of their own, and a world of nonsense of their own. Therefore the numerous references here to Indian classics like (Zanjeer - 1973), or else, weren't only a source of pride, or a homage from movie to another, it was also a kind of desperate affirmation that this is India anyway, or what's left to define it!

Of course it says something about sheer technique just to amuse heavily. But the American movies are already there, so what exactly the Indian filmmakers have to offer?! Actually it looked like an Indian movie written and directed by Americans, or an American movie with Indian language and stars!

Speaking of which, It was scary to see (Anil Kapoor) knocked over by an American coolness storm like this; as if a vengeance of mad stylist hit him badly. (Sanjay Dutt) was the circus's silly clown. I only liked (Sameera Reddy), she was the sole true thing, however put there for just being exploited to the max. The drama was an excuse for too bright, too much, sizzle. And it's, as a whole, a cross between being a cinematic show and a bad joke.

Fairly, if you look at (Musafir), you'll find how it's amusing. But if you look closer, you'll find how it's totally poor also. So Bollywood wants to be Hollywood? Why not being yourself?! It was tragic that (Jennifer Jason Leigh) in (Single White Female) hated her own character, and went to live as another person. And the situation in (Musafir), or rather nowadays' Bollywood, isn't less tragic.

Musafir is a glamorized underworld movie that in summary is simply a waste of time.

It tries to sell on the lewd dances and pseudo-sex scenes, but even there it fails.

If I have to watch a soft porn I will flip on Cinemax but this mindless 150 minute fare is best avoided since there are no other strengths in the flick.

What a waste of time, money and resources. A bunch of washed up actors and desperate actresses thinking they will feed of the uneducated and Riksha Wala Indian audience. Embarrassing stuff coming out of Bollywood !! Boom

Saw this movie a few hrs ago. And i must say its not the worst movie ever, but at points its really bad.

Its a remake of Hollywood movie U-turn and Bollywood kindda ruined this version. Sanjay dutt was cool, and all that, but the flippin knife all the time gets annoying after a while.

They focused to much on style and less on doing a good job.

Male actors did Well. Females was plain bad, the Dark main Girl looked hot but nothing more, the ending was as expected and it was even worse when the bad guy just takes off, and not claiming what he came for all along.

I remember the songs even tho i didnt Watch the movie back then.

Bollywood never gets a Hollywood remake right.