Badmaa$h Company

We went and watched the movie Badmash Company this weekend. It was an entertaining watch and by Hindi movie standards was an intelligently written and directed movie. I actually went with no expectations expecting the worst and came out pleasantly surprised at the quality of plot, storyline and directing while the acting was OK. I would give it 7 on 10 and considering the vacuum of good Bollywood movies out these days, would recommend it for a theater watch. The movie is about a bunch of recent graduates who want to make a lot of money and instead of slogging it out in the corporate world, want to start their own business and make it big. That is an awesome idea, only problem being their obsession with get rich quick schemes that while working a lot of times, get them into trouble too.

Its' the Idea that change your life. Running on this punch line, this is a movie of 4 friends, who are deadly fascinated about luxurious and ravishing life style and wanted to make some quick bucks. Shahid Kapoor as Karan has his own ambitions, which got sparked after meeting Bulbul and some fast tragedies in life. The nice thing about the movie is it's its fast moving story with it wonderful music. With the beauty of the music, their life also moves on a Rapidly swift pace, from "Dust to Riches", all riding on Karan's Idea. How things change, friendship perishes, an ordinary guy turned to savage, enraged chap and finally life throws him some lessons. Movie has all the masala, one expect in a bollywood movie "Love, Romance, Music, Emotions, fight and above all heroism of Shahid with punch of heart touching friendship". Anushka is looking awesomely hot and gorgeous and turns on the heat in few scenes. Chandu and Zing played their roles at par expectations and made a kind of good debut. Shahid also played his flamboyant, infuriated, Godlike role as it was demanded in the movie. Good work by him. Overall its a movie with full bollywood tadka. Full points for good cinematography and location selection. That was commendable.

Film opens with voice-over by its hero Karan (Shahid) detailing its period. 1994, India, Bombay. He jokes that time it was Bombay and not Mumbai where he explains word FM meant Finance minister and not FM radio, cell phones existed only in science fiction, Mumbai-Delhi calls used to cost 90 Rs and not 90 paise over STD. This is the setting where we see India wasn't this free market and custom-duty was a bitch. I remember Anurag Kashyap blogging that story always needs its milieu. This one has got it.

Boy is from typical working class with father whose life he doesn't want live of 25 years sitting behind same desk. Fresh graduate topper believes gains of his efforts should be entirely his own and not of his boss or firm. Soon he devices a scam and gathers his crew to help the con. He is smart for sure. An idea to get away with custom duty. They buy foreign stuff cheap at Bangkok. There is a twist in the shipment which you better catch on screen. Then make phony scene refuse to claim the shipment leaving it in custom warehouses only to buy it back at customs auctions without custom duty now, so at scrap prices. Profits are huge.

Con is successful and crew is happy. Love-interest perky, bold, wannabe model Bulbul Singh (Anushka) with slang (f off) who while kissing hungrily inside car warns Karan, panting, this is not serious to which guy replies that should be my line yaar. Their romance connects well. Other two are rather two dimensional ones can be summarized – one is womanizer (Veer Das) other one is drunk (Chyang). Foursome makes good company till first half of the film. Really good.

But all is not always ends well. It's kind of perennial screw up, filmmakers continue to botch the second half of a promising film. Turning a fun-con into boring predictable morality lesson. Shifting story to US where new cons, more success, then success getting to head, egos, fights, alcohol, aiyaashi, inevitable break up. Protagonist learning lessons hard way. Papa don't preach or do it well.

When they stop having good time, how can we? Audience slowly realized film is sagging. "How much more is left?", someone asked sitting behind me. She was right though. But still for its better half it's not all bad company.

Not a fan of Bollywood movies I often have to be dragged to the viewing of a 3 hour song and dance fest which is usually a poor copy of a Hollywood flick. As a result, I expected very little from Badmash Company and what seemed like another predictable copy. Instead, Parmeet Sethi present an answer to Sodebergh's Ocean's 11. Sethi enlists the talents of a young and exciting cast that, uncharacteristically deliver in their performances. Sure, there is always room for improvement but as far as performances go, one must applaud their efforts especially that of Vir Das. Anupm Kher, in an almost cameo performance, gives the audience what they expect, a role that he makes his own and smacks out of the park.

Teen pin-up Shahid Kapur, in spite of his school boy features, comes through and gives a credible performance which is refreshing in an industry that is plagued with over acting. The uncharacteristically original plot starts to wear on and become clichéd three quarters in but manages to pull it back with an interesting twist at the end.

The attention to detail is impressive as a majority of facets are kept true to the time line in which the story takes place, such as video cassettes and not DVD's and the vintage stock exchange. Although this isn't consistent throughout the entire movie, it is a step in the right direction and once again, refreshing!

All in all, Badmash Company is a original plot, atypically directed and puts forth a cast that portray their characters convincing. Thanks to Sethi and the Cast, there is still hope for Bollywood!

As the name and tag line suggests there are bunch of guys who do some wrong but smart things to make the money and fulfill their dreams. So this Badmash company start their business with a nice and interesting trick. Till that time everything is good, but from here on the there is a gradual fall. Director unsuccessfully tries to impress audience with some more unrealistic and boring tricks and only one nice trick was not good enough, for two and half hour.

Indian director always underestimate their audience, and here again the same story. Sahid background voice explaining the tricks becomes annoying after a certain time. The second half of the movie drags too much and you will not be able to connect emotionally with any of the character. Sahid has done a average job, while Anushka performance is a let down. One or two song of the movie is good but as whole the music score of the movie by Pritam do not offer anything special. Overall Badmash company is neither a bankrupt company nor a fortune 500 company.