Kidnap

RELEASED IN 2008 and directed by Sanjay Gadhvi, "Kidnap" chronicles events in India when the daughter (Minissha Lamba) of a rich tycoon (Sanjay Dutt) is kidnapped by a man driven by vengeance (Imran Khan). Vidya Malvade is on hand as the beautiful mother and ex-wife of the mogul.

This was only my third Bollywood movie so maybe I'm not the best person to appraise these movies, but I find them interesting for cultural reasons and generally entertaining.

The animated credits sequence is overlong and is curiously followed by a pop music video led by Minissha Lamba before the actual movie starts at the 8.5 minute mark. There are a couple of other music videos thrown in later. The language mixes Hindi with some English here and there, which is interesting (I gather this is how they actually speak over there).

The story and some of the dramatics seem too contrived and sometimes too quaint. The prison break sequence, for instance, is akin to a goofy Spaghetti Western from back in the day. Nevertheless, this is a unique crime thriller in that it bends over backward to entertain, literally throwing in kinetic song & dance routines. Lamba is curvy, the aging Dutt is resolute analogous to Bruce Willis with a small spare tire and the young Khan is unrealistically formidable, but likable. There's a dynamic rooftop chase in the second half and I liked the moral of the story, which is unmistakably driven home. But the movie is overlong at close to 2.5 hours.

WRITERS: Shibani Bathija and six others.

GRADE: C/C-

'Kidnap' definitely ranks as one of the worst movies of 2008. With movies like 'Dhoom 2', Gadhavi has already proved to be one of the worst directors ever. The story, not surprisingly, is unoriginal and nonsensical. There is nothing impressive where the technical side is concerned. It has the funniest (unintentionally of course) casting. I wonder how they got Vidya Malvade to play wife of the old haggard Sanjay Dutt and mother of Minisha Lamba. I can understand why any respectable 30+ actor would turn down the role (or anything offered by Gadhavi) but the only reason I can think of is that poor Malvade isn't getting enough roles. Sanjay Dutt mechanically plays a cop for the nth time. Someone ought to teach Minisha Lamba that it is important to be classy in order to look sexy. Otherwise it's just sleazy and/or tacky, both of which apply to Lamba. She could learn a thing or two about class from her on screen mom who looks sensational without having to show any body part. In addition, Lamba's acting is pathetic. However, it is the so called upcoming star Imran Khan who delivers the worst performance. Perhaps this is one of the best examples of wooden acting. 'Kidnap' has nothing going for it. The action sequences are laughable. Even some B-grade films have done better than this. The songs are better forgotten. I'd suggest you take a nap instead of watching 'Kidnap'.

Sometimes u go for a movie and wonder why the hell didn't i go for an evening walk instead or why i didn't go to bed early today... Kidnap will make you wonder why do i bother to go to movies. Its one of those movies which makes you laugh..... on yourself. The movie has a basic storyline of revenge with unlimited flaws which we can ignore. But can we ignore the below average acting or the poor direction and editing of the movie? Apart from the background music i don't think the film makers have paid a lot of attention to what exactly they want to make. The movie was neither a thriller nor an emotional outburst. In the end it made me wonder was it a spoof of some Hollywood movie. Minisha Lambha looked hot throughout the movie and apart from her cleavage show there was nothing more to the scenes filmed on her. Her mother looked like her elder sister. Sanjay Dutt was average and looked a bit out of shape. Imraan Khan disappointed big time. He is no Aamir Khan and he proved it. His acting was not at all convincing and he looked quite uncomfortable doing a serious villain role. Overall I guess the fine actors are as good as director makes them work and here we know who is at fault. I hope all the review readers to skip this movie and think as if this movie just wasn't released. I made the mistake but I have just came back from the show and I have taken the best possible way to save the world from this movie. God help people who see this movie.

Sanjay Gadhvi, comes up with another thriller after his Dhoom movies. As everyone was appreciating the promising promos of Kidnap, it looked like a fast paced, stylish and engrossing thriller. But instead the movie fails to hold your interest from the first scene itself and is not even close to the earlier films by the director.

The most annoying thing is when a movie shamelessly starts with a song. This is like taking the viewers as granted and it also indicates that the makers didn't know how to start the movie, so they inserted a song with the heroine singing at the beach in some revealing dresses. I don't know what reasons can be given for starting a thriller movie with a song. Another shock comes right after the unwanted song, when you see Minissha Lamba calling Vidya Maldave "her MOM". Simply, a mis-cast. Neither Minissha looks like celebrating her 18th birthday nor Vidya looks her mother from any angle. By only putting a dialogue that "You became pregnant when you were 18" (for Vidya) cannot justify your mis casting.

The kidnap executed by Imran Khan, happens in the first reels itself and the complete story is revealed thereafter. As Imran is looking good playing the kidnapper, the viewer expects that some chilling and exciting drama will unfold in the later reels. But nothing happens and the film keeps on moving uninterestingly. Sanjay Dutt as the father of Minissha looks tired and just plays his part. Minissha acts OK but she seriously has to work on her close ups and Vidya Maldave looks more gorgeous than her on screen daughter. All the others in the cast having nothing much to do.

According to me, the USP of the movie could be the plot, where Imran is giving clues to Sanjay Dutt, which are to be solved by him in order to get his daughter back. But this very sequence is the most underwritten part of the script. The clues are uninteresting and the drama created through them does not create the required excitement. As a thriller the movie is not able to bring the viewer on the edge of his seat, which is a must for a good crime movie. It's just another revenge drama, where the child grows up and now wants to take revenge for his lost childhood.

There are many unanswered questions in different sequences in the script. Sanjay Dutt easily manages to get everything done as asked by Imran. He easily breaks in and out of the tight security in the house of his rich competitor. He takes a convict out of the jail as a piece of cake. He reaches the station in time, beating the traffic in a strange way and runs like a 25 year young boy. Very strangely, a revealing and stylish wardrobe changes are given to Minissha while she is locked up by her kidnapper. Too many liberties taken by the writer here. A film with this kind of subject surely does not require any songs, but here we have more than 3 songs and that too just as fillers. Pritam has given a very unexpected score with not even one exceptional song.

Gadhvi's seems to be a fan of chase and Heist movies. His "Dhoom's" had many sequences related to breaking in and beating security systems, "Kidnap" also has its own similar scenes. But whereas the loopholes of "Dhoom's" were covered by its huge and stunning starcast, this time "Imran" alone cannot cover the faulty script and becomes a victim of it.

In few words, Kidnap is another flick, whose promos were better than the main movie. All the expectations raised by its promos are not met and you feel disappointed. The only good thing in the movie is "Imran Khan".

Expectations are bound to run high especially when you deliver two mega grossers back-to-back ie. Dhoom and D2. And Sanjay Gadhvi is indeed accountable for the missing goods.

Sanjay Dutt:: His Conviction was missing and it was apparent.

Vidya Malvade:: For starters, I "never" knew she was the "Chak De" girl. Fitted well as independent & opinionated Mrs. Sanjay Dutt. But as Mum to Minisha - nay!!

Minisha Lamba:: Try and try harder until you succeed. Well this time around it was trying with the clothes I guess. Skimpy albeit.

Imran Khan:: It was written in bold that he was trying extremely hard to put up an intense emotion in the name of acting. Suggest he should stick doing chocolaty-boy roles and then make a natural progression towards parallel oriented performance. Uncle, where art thou?

At certain places, the movie carries a look which seems to be inspired by Sanjay F Gupta.

Background score is loud. Songs are passable and lyrics are crappy.

The plot simply doesn't connect. And the screenplay seems to be loaded with speed-breakers. Extremely poor in writing department (read that cinematic liberties!).