Pop Kaun? Review: Kunal Kemmu, Saurabh Shukla, Johny Lever, Satish Kaushik have nothing to do in this Farhad Samji Vanity Project

Yes, you read Vanity Project correctly. Because how else should you describe ‘Pop Kaun?’ (The film’s title being the singular factor boasting of some thought) which has been written, produced, directed, has music and lyrics (or limericks) of the title track credited to and even features maker Farhad Samji as an actor?

You already know that there is no point in dialing up your expectations because you aren’t looking at an exceptionally zany entertainer coming your way. Just in case you need to refresh your film memory, the most ‘notable’ works by Samji and his co-writers/frequent collaborators Tasha Bhambra and Sparsh Khetarpal include ‘Housefull 4’ (2019), ‘Laxxmi’ (2020) and ‘Bachchan Pandey’ (2022). But, is it too much to ask to at least try being funny?

One day, Sahil (Kunal Kemmu) learns that his politician father Brij Kishore Trivedi (Johny Lever), on whose name he has lived a life of privilege, isn’t his father and the quest begins to know the truth about his origins. What follows is thankfully (or not) 6 episodes long of 30-40 minutes each.

At the hands of a better writer/director, the premise of promoting religious tolerance through a comedy of errors has tremendous potential. But, when you get the most seasoned actors in the business who have spent lifetimes in entertaining us, you owe everyone a collective apology for wasting their time. Even Nupur Sanon’s.

The most respectful I can be in summarising what I feel about ‘Pop Kaun?’ is that I actually gave my time to watch it and write about it.

In conclusion, all I can add is that fortunately, ‘Pop Kaun?’ is not late veteran actor Satish Kaushik’s last cinematic outing. What’s worse is that the series ends with the promise of a Part 2. What’s the absolute nightmare? That Samji is directing ‘Hera Pheri 3’.