Dil Kabaddi

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".

Movies on marital issues and post marriage relationships have been made earlier too but this is an altogether different movie which is not interested in entertaining you with some good humor or some realistic sequences. But instead the director is more interested in being extensively vulgar verbally than visually. The movie moves around some confused characters who are not happy with their spouses and find other ways to satisfy themselves emotionally and physically. Loosely based on Woody Allen's "Husbands & Wives", it shows an inside view of different bedrooms and their not so amusing stories with everything about the "3 letter word" wide open as never before.

Chek out at : http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0104466/

Debutante director Anil, sadly is not able to hold the audiences neither with his bold subject nor with its cheap dialogues at various places. In fact I should mention here that the viewer would be shocked to hear some strong & bold words coming from a 20 something girl and that too in quite disgraceful details. Just imagine a young girl talking with her professor about her recently broken relationship. And the reason she gives for the break up is that "she couldn't do it with his boyfriend due to his size". Was the director trying to make a huge breakthrough in Indian Cinema with such liberty taken or it was only for adding a shock value to the movie. The comment was quite innovatively written by the writer for a young college going girl. And that clearly showed the real intentions.

Regarding the star cast, everyone has done a good job, but once again the talented star cast is not provided with enough good scenes. There are entertaining moments but they come after long gaps. Out of all the actors the most impressive is Saba, a new comer who plays a film student to Rahul Bose and shares her private experiences with him openly. The scene where she is talking about her sexual experiences and her birthday sequence where she boldly asks Rahul for a birthday kiss are not only shocking but they are also capable of generating an awful influence over the youngsters.

Rahul Bose as a confused professor and Konkona Sen Sharma as his wife are fine. Rahul Khanna returns after a long time with an entertaining performance. Payal Rohtagi as a mindless beauty looks sexy and inviting. But out of the ladies, the best act comes from Soha Ali Khan. She is again impressive after "Mumbai Meri Jaan". And the main person, Irrfan Khan, as always is top rate. Though he is being given similar kind of roles by our film-makers but he is surely an actor to be proud of. He is the only person providing the comedy and comic element to the movie. As a sex crazy person he is too good and his bedroom sequence with his office colleague is the best sequence of the movie.

In spite of having Irrfan Khan and other well known names, the film is not able to hold you or impress the viewer with its content. It is neither a thoughtful social movie nor a good sex comedy. In fact in order to provide some fresh scenes the writer goes overboard and becomes vulgar. Especially the dialogues given to Saba, the young girl are quite debatable. If the Censors don't find these as vulgar then they must be having a very enlightening guidelines of censorship in their hands or maybe they are more strict with only visual and abusive words.

After seeing "Dil Kabaddi", I was forced to think that there is a very thin line between a good sex or adult comedy and a vulgar film. Often our directors start off with the first and end up being the second. Same is the case with "Dil Kabaddi".

I saw the first day first show at 9.45am. And let me tell you all that I never have laughed so much in any film screening as I did while watching this.

Its bustling with humour in every scene, almost. And the humour never goes cheap or slapstick.

I have never seen Woody Allen's Husbands and Wives, but I know he is a great director. However, Director Anil Senior's Dil Kabaddi has all the charm and laughs in the right place.

Every character in the film is enjoyable and the actors put up fantastic performances, be it those who come in for minuscule roles.

After reading few reviews here and there now, I guess only those people who accept that Infidelity is very much part of a metropolitan city's life will be able to enjoy the humour.

For all who are conservative or traditional or does not want to accept the reality, are in for a rude shock! Go on enjoy this film. It surely deserved way better promotion and youth will hit on it for very sure.

A very easy 4 out of 5 for a film which not just has performances and script, but fantastic camera movements (I guess it is hand handling motion frame), perfectly in-sync background score, appealing cinematography and some good production values.

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

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.