Dil Kabaddi

Watched the movie with very low expectations and the plot is about ultra-modern dinky urban marital crisis and its not too bad for an one- time DVD watch.

With names like Irfan Khan, Konkana Sen, Rahul Bose - the tag "powerhouse of performance" becomes synonymous and hence there is hardly any flaw in their performances (Ifran pays homage to Govinda though!). Soha could have been better as "perpetual dissatisfied" lady. And yes, Rahul Khanna needs to do his homework. Payal Rohatgi was convincing as a "bimbo". Only time will tell the standing of Saba Azad.

The abstract narrative is innovative and interesting. Songs are passable.

Senior rips off Woody Allen's 'Husbands and Wives'. The narrative structure, story and some of the dialogues are straight lifts. The pacing is slow and this at times bores the viewer. The songs are loaded with adrenaline (which provides the much needed boost to the film). Sagar Desai's background score is soothing. Those who haven't watched Allen's movie, 'Dil Kabaddi' basically, with a touch of comedy, deals with souring marital relationships between two married couples. What works for the film is the acting. Soha Ali Khan is a surprise. After seeing her in movies like 'Khoya Khoya Chand' and 'Ahista Ahista', where she had terrific roles to which she didn't do justice, I had pretty much given up on her acting ability and was certainly not expecting anything above average but the actress totally nailed this part. It is good to see Irfan Khan back in comedy mode after a long time. He provides some of the laugh-out-loud moments. Rahul Bose and Rahul Khanna are alright. Bose has played similar roles and here he is no different. Saba Azad is quite okay for a newcomer. Payal Rohatgi is hilarious. She plays bimbo Kaya to the T. Konkona Sen Sharma is excellent. She too displays comic flair, this time it's a more subtle comedy. One wishes if only she had more screen time. Other than the performances, 'Dil Kabaddi' does not have too much to offer since a better suggestion would be to turn to Allen's 'Husbands and Wives' where it all seems more natural and authentic.

Dil Kabaddi is another "event" that fills the heart with joy. Just to see story-tellers (and not just star kids and diamond merchants) get a chance to create real cinema in Bollywood is so heartening. We loved this movie and so did the half-empty PVR audience, median age 35, if the constant eruptions of gleeful laughter are any indication.

Unlike many good attempts, Dil Kabaddi does not falter in the second half simply because the director had a POINT to make. Maybe he has Woody Allen to thank for it, but this did not become a montage of slick shots against Mumbai's backdrop. All the humor and all the "slice of life" shots told a story. This is where the movie truly scores.

The other reason for its success, of course, is the excellent casting and performance. Each character was well-etched, including the "almost correct" English grammar and "avant garde" dress sense of Samit. His pairing with an intellectual, stylish, smart Mita is not that surprising in today's aspirational India-- a lot of successful women are truly happy with a less successful husband. I also liked the minor characters of ex-boyfriend, office hunk and Chirag the lech neighbor. Their body language and motivations reveal a well-written character as part of the screenplay. Something so rare even in mainstream Bollywood cinema. Ditto for the sex-jokes; they were much more tasteful than what is dished out in family-comedy "U" rated movies every week. That said, the "Kaaya" character could have been better etched.

Perhaps the movie targets a very specific audience, the mid-30s Indian, that grew up on Karan Johar's bubble-gum romance in the 90s and are "happily" married for 4-7 years now, like the characters in the movie. It is possible that this crowd will laugh the loudest, while those older and younger may find less to identify with in this story. They may yet discover it on DVD a few years later and laugh hearty. At its core, it is a story about our quest for love and our failure to recognize it when it happens. A tale of finding love versus our 'fantasy' of love.

While some have panned the movie for it's shameless copy of Husbands and Wives by Woody Allen, others have cringed at the barrage of sexual jokes and innuendo. In my opinion, it works where Mixed Doubles (the previous multiplex outing about infidelity) failed simply because it does not hold back or have any intellectual pretense. The movie keeps you laughing almost the entire time and yet makes an honest observation about modern Indian marriages.

The fact that it holds true for India 16 years after Woody Allen's 1992 original is a telling comment on Indian society playing catch-up with the west. For better or for worse...

Imagine Irfan Khan wearing a g-string and a sports bra !!

Grossed out :D ? Don't worry, they don't show him in it :) Just an indicator of the level of openness we have come to accept in Hindi movies. Even 5 years ago, talk like this would have gotten movie posters burnt etc. But now its quite cool to talk about spicing up your sex life with such ideas. Of course the g-string idea itself is quite stupid :)

Dil Kabaddi is a take on modern-day urban relationships - with Rahul Bose & Konkona Sensharma and Irfan Khan & Soha Ali Khan playing couples – who are outwardly happily married, but troubled inside. The movie claims to be a fun take on marital (and extramarital) affairs – and especially the trailers of the movie promise a lot of debauchery and goofing around.

So does Dil Kabaddi deliver ?

Yes – but not quite.

The story begins with Samit (Irfan Khan) and Mita (Soha Ali Khan) fighting on their way to meeting Rishi (Rahul Bose) and Simi (Konkona Sensharma). We come to know of Samit's … err … overenthusiasm for all matters sexual and Soha Ali Khan's preference for romance and 'huggy-huggy' at night – among other things. And they proceed to calmly inform Rishi and Simi that they are separating and Samit is moving out of the house.

And so begins the fun for Samit as he moves in with his 'aerobics instructor' Kaya (Payal Rohtagi) the very next day. Mita takes things hard at first but then Simi introduces her to Veer (Rahul Khanna), and they hit it off as well.

These events have their effect on Rishi and Simi who question their own status quo and start considering other people surreptitiously. Of course, what happens next is for you to watch and find out. All the four major characters are deeply flawed – Rishi a little less than the others – but flawed nevertheless. However, because of Samit's over-the-top actions, his and Mita's story doesn't seem quite realistic while Rishi & Simi's story seems more plausible. Among the other characters, special mention has to be made of Payal Rohtagi. She is depicted as a caricature, but even then she is so loud and screechy, it becomes a pain to watch her in the latter half in the movie. Her only highlight in the movie is her scene with Rahul Khanna. The other cool character not mentioned so far is Simi's ex-boyfriend (cant remember his name). Bucking the trend of showing exes as losers (like in Jab We Met), this guy is shown as quite cool and forms a very important link in the narrative.

The chemistry between both the couples is very good and I personally found Soha Ali Khan quite attractive for the first time (and kinda hot, though there is no skin show). And though Irfan Khan gets a lot of wacky humour scenes, I found the scenes between Rahul Bose and Konkona more enjoyable – and Rahul Bose is right in his element.

The movie ends with a unexpected twist and is liberally strewn with gags and sexual jokes. Yet somewhere along, the director loses the balance between realistic and ridiculous fun - and somewhat disconnects with the audience. Like Pyaar Ke Side Effects, you will enjoy this movie just a little bit more if you are married or have had a significant other for sometime. Overall Dil Kabaddi is a lot of fun, but just not quite satisfying.

I regularly review movies at http://bisprad.blogspot.com

Last year when I saw and liked Anurag Basu's Metro, the part appreciated most was Sarmaan's hilarious call-centre segment where everyone was screwing everyone. Later a month or so I rented Billy Wilder's classic The Apartment and shocked to discover particular segment in Metro was lifted from this entire movie. Yes, I was disappointed. I couldn't enjoy a virgin Wilder classic experience but there was a grin on my face definitely how director didn't ruined the borrowed material and did the justice to piece of plagiarism, if there is any such thing exists. Similar experience to greater extent I had last weekend with DilKabaddi which I thoroughly enjoyed, is a straight rip-off of Woody Allen's outstanding Husbands and Wives (1992). But this time there was a strange sense of familiarity with the characters instantly. Their idiosyncrasies somehow carried a floating signature.

In Woody Allen's favorite territory- man-woman relationship, which he explored over three to four decades. This one is a comedy of marriages, divorces, break-ups, reconciliations and re-marriages in the wake of characters' mid life crisis and their inherent urge for infidelity. Film introduces its two principal couples setting the mad-com tone of the film. Sameet (Irrfan) and Meeta (Soha) announces they are separating in the house of their best friends Rishi (Rahul Bose) and Simmi (Konkana Sen Sharma). Second couple is rattled; especially Simmi (soon starts questioning her own relationship). They start to reason why their friends are separating. Simmi asks if Meeta is cold in bed. Rishi reasons yeah as she is too "intellectual" types. Later in one scene Sameet confesses Meeta is too arty and he's tired of watching art movies. With his newly found partner he can watch Welcome without guilt. (Hilarious).

Separation follows Meeta start dating Simmi's colleague Rahul Khanna while Sameet packs his bags and moves in with his gym instructor (Payal) for a bawdy romance full of kinky thrills. Story then probes lives of second couple which turns out more interesting that it seems. Rishi is a literary college professor who regards most of his colleagues as womanizers but for him it's too hard to cross the line now but soon is pulled with infatuating force in the direction of one of his young pupils Raga (well cast). On other hand Simmi is more dangerous types as described by her ex-boyfriend "passive-aggressive types". Tagging her husband as "too critical" she shares her poems silently nourishing hidden feelings to her sensitive and perfect-husband-material colleague Rahul Khanna. No one is innocent in this world.

Characters learn a lot in the course of their infidelity and desires. Sameet who feels his wife gives him stress all the time realizes, only after basking in bed one too many days and nights of course, and realizing there is no way they can appear socially together (one laugh out loud sequence in a party continued in his house), wants to reconcile. He believes now, "Sex for the sake of sex is a disease. Saathi sathi hota hai". In another one oddly touching scene one character shares a passionate kiss with his long time crush in a perfect romantic setting but confesses he can't go on doing it. Walking in rain, he confides in us he just wants to go back home and hug his wife.

Almost filming scene to scene faithfully director makes material more comic and less cynical but keeps the playfulness same in the treatment. Characters talk directly into the camera. Interviews acts on behalf of audiences asking right questions. Actors are doing well here especially Irrfan who plays parody of cheating husbands with such flamboyance and such ridiculous colors; it is sheer brilliance of the actor.

I was the sole soul in my flock to enjoy this desi version of Woody Allen. This is one is about marriages. Even if you are not married you can enjoy it. Like one of the characters says who wrote an article once on Paris and she's never been Paris, you don't have to, she says, "it's a trick".