Kamaal Dhamaal Malamaal

Priyadarshan returning with another Hindi version of a South hit "Marykundoro Kunjaado" (Malayalam) (2010) wasn't exciting enough for many. But the news of Nana Patekar featuring in it did add some spark into the project as that was in fact an unusual cast for a Priyadarshan comedy.

But unfortunately all those sparks fail to ignite anything on the screen and the film just proves to be another dud from the veteran film-maker who has not been able to deliver from a long time. However the other sad part of the story is that with KAMAAL DHAMAAL MALAMAAL, the director also gives you the most absurd or boring movie of the year 2012 which neither has any good humor nor any entertaining performances to enjoy in those 2 hours. It's one of those badly made or uninteresting films, in which you are sure going to find many people already gone back to their homes post intermission and the others calmly sleeping on their seats when the lights are back.

KDM starts off with the same old village surroundings introducing its various characters as earlier seen in Priyadarshan's "Maalamaal Weekly" and it also has the mention of a Lottery in it. But it isn't a sequel and basically revolves around a lazy or weak character who suddenly finds a strong person in his village to help him find his lady love. The story also involves a mistaken identity plot which later on tries to add the crime thriller kind of element into the film which fails to work completely.

Songs in this so called comedy, provide you enough time to take your important calls, visit the washroom or go out for a bite several times before and after the interval. Plus the direction gives you a feeling as if it's a work mainly completely by a team of assistant directors in absence of their mentor, since it all looks like fake throughout the movie. In the performance department, only Shreyas is able to offer you something to keep staring at and the rest are just there in return of their paid professional fees. In fact KDM is also one of those rare films in which you will find precious actors like Nana Patekar, Om Puri and Paresh Rawal being wasted so unintelligently. And I was really surprised to see Paresh Rawal in such a minuscule role in the entire film with scenes even less than the ones given to Neeraj Vohra.

Hence Priyadarshan's latest venture once again fails in almost all its department ranging from the story-plot, script & music to its direction, performances and the most important entertainment quotient required in a comedy. Yet there is one thing which goes in favour of the movie and that's its worth watching locations caught in the camera beautifully. Otherwise it can easily be called a clean family drama (or comedy) with no impressive content at all.

Moreover while walking out of the theater one might also like to raise a question to both its producers and director that "For whom it was actually made in the first place?"

No storyline, overacting, poor characterization, stale music and oldies galore, this movie is not even worth the time it takes to roll the credits. Filmed completely on a single set, with a few stunning outdoor shots for songs, this movie does not hold you at all. From attempts to straight-face humor, to uninspired fight sequences, miscast Nana Patekar, and a pain in the butt grimaces by Shreyas Talpade, this movie has nothing working for it. Not even the junior artistes trying to carry the movie on their puny shoulders. And to make it more difficult to watch, we have dhoti-attired Catholics. Since when did putting a church and a cross make a village catholic.

Shreyas Talpade, the son of Om Puri, is the village 'darpok' appropriately named 'bakri' not necessarily for being a coward, but perhaps more for his self-centered (mein, mein) attitude. His dreams to strike it rich one day by winning the lottery are the reasons for his lazy languor and self-effacing language throughout the movie.

Constantly under threat by his girl-friend's overzealous brothers and scheming father (played by Paresh Rawal, almost a cameo role), he finds a body-guard in ominous Nana Patekar. Incidentally, Nana going about his bizarre daily routine is the only few-fils worth performance in the movie. The likes of Asrani, Shakti Kapoor, etc, etc, just cannot help but go along with the ludicrous screenplay, clearly trying to make a living of the little that this low-budget film would have paid them. The end is keeping in line with all the silly things that happen in the movie and so is not so unexpected.

Use this as an excuse to stay home this weekend !!