Naqaab

Another off beat movie for the Indian movie-goers, and it ain't that bad. Naqaab has a distinctly different style of story telling, and coupled with some exquisite shooting locations it is a visual treat to the eye. Urvashi Sharma is pretty good too. She's a delight to the eyes of every unmarried male. Although I must say the acting in this movie especially of Bobby Deol and Urvashi Sharma was pathetic. Akshaye Khanna is good, but this isn't his best of roles either.

The story is like any Abbas-Mustan thriller. Ripped/adapted from classic Holly flicks. This time around its loosely based on The Truman Show, and no, SLV isn't the derived movie theme. It has a lot of twists and turns towards the end, which makes up for the pathetic first hour of the movie. At one point of time it was hard to imagine if the movie is a thriller or a comedy. The songs aren't that good, the camera work which should have been exquisite,considering video camera plays a chief role in the movie, isn't up to the mark as well.

No point harping on the plot, it is basically a love triangle with a good twist in it. Its a fun watch at the end of the week, after facing the brunt of your boss' wrath.

The film's tag-line said it all which is "The most shocking thriller of the year". It was really shocking with twists & turns that were impossible to predict. You just don't know who is bad, who is good? and what is their motive? Do not mistake this film as another love triangle about two guys fighting for one girl because it's completely different. Urvashi Sharma (Sophie) was OK for her first film but Bobby Deol (Karan) and Akshaye Khanna (Vicky) were terrific as usual, it is great to see them again after Humraaz. Music is excellent composed by one of my favourite composers Pritam. The best songs are Ek Din (which stands out with its memorable Spanish guitar intro) and Aye Dil sung by Sunidhi Chauhan. Abbas-Mustan are known for creating good music in all of their films. They are one of my favourite directors; I loved their films ever since I seen Baazigar. Although they are inspired from Hollywood movies but their films are better than the original which are:

Naqaab- Dot the I (2003)

36 China Town- Chinatown (1974)

Aitraaz- Disclosure (1994)

Humraaz- A Perfect Murder (1998)

Ajnabee- Consenting Adults (1992)

Daraar- Sleeping with the Enemy (1991)

Baazigar- A Kiss Before Dying (1991)

Right before watching Naqaab I understood that if I have ever to catch this Abbas-Mustan thriller that would be only for newly introduced Urvashi Sharma. Beside this I find no other reasons to watch. Every time I see Urvashi I remember of Diana Rigg, the Bond girl of 1969's On Her Majesty's Secret Service opposite George Lazenby. She is new but surprisingly she did help to flash the camera as a new battery. Although the movie was made colourfully it hardly puts any positive colour to our heart, due to such an over-twisting plot.

This is the third nonsense directorial presentation from director duo Abbas-Mustan after Daraar and Badshah. After watching a single time I got fed up with the movie and hope not to repeat it watching again. So far they have used Bobby Deol with better prospects in their previous thrillers - Soldier, Ajnabee and Humraaz, but here they all put him under the mud. Although his role has a bit tragedy here but it fails to load back in memory after the movie reaches its end. But the romantic humours between Akshaya and Urvashi are really hilarious and worth watching. Quiet something they can form a good pair if mechanized correctly.

I had to say once again if there is any reason to watch Naqaab, that is Urvashi Sharma. She performed her first role with full confident, and I noticed nothing weaknesses in her acting as well as screen-presence. I beg to Abbas-Mustan to cast her in future again in their next upcoming projects with good story, casting and production.

Having seen this with no idea what it was about, I wasn't sure if it was going to be a complete song-and-dance-fest..or not. But, I stuck through it all. A couple of minutes of no subtitles in some sections, subtitles of spoken English that didn't match the spoken English and spelling mistakes in the subtitles added to the hilarity. It doesn't try to be a comedy, but is completely unbelievable throughout and features a ridiculous storyline that becomes more hilarious towards the end.

If you didn't pay to see the film (I used my unlimited pass, so I can see as many films as I like in a month for one price), then great, it's a passable form of entertainment as long as you don't expect, well, anything at all. Otherwise, unlucky.

I always like Abbas-Mustan films like KHILADI, BAAZIGAR Off late their films are being bad like AITRAAZ, TAARZAN, 36 CHINA TOWN

NAQAAB a remake of DOT THE 1

Sadly this film is a complete joke of a film

First half is typical Hindi love triangle with everything looking fake Be it Bobby- Urvashi love story or Akshaye- Urvashi or even the too much cuts- edit and everything actually

the kiss after The EK DIN song and all the hot scenes are badly handled

Few comic scenes are fine here and there but then the film does a 360 turn and becomes even worse in the last few reels

The entire turn of events make the illogical film a farce

Imagine you are laughing at the film being typical Hindi stuff first and then when it tries to be bold it makes you cringe

The sets, wardrobe design all seem too cheap

Abbas-Mustan gives one of their worst films ever Music is saving grace, EK DIN is good

Cinematography is good

Bobby looks bored in first half and manages some scenes towards the end well Akshaye Khanna with a bad wardrobe is wasted though he manages to leave a mark as always but now his role, style is getting predictable

Urvashi reminds you of Udita Goswami and Rakhi Sawant which isn't a good thing, her voice is awfully dubbed too

Vikas Kalantri and Vishal Malhotra tax your nerves