Cast: Aftab Shivdasani, Ishita Dutta, Sonnalli Seygall, Shreyas Talpade, Vijay Raaz, Pawan Malhotra, Jameel Khan, Pankaj Jha, Manu Rishi Chaddha
Director: Ashwini Chaudhary
Rating: * *
Similar to the Soumik Sen directed Emraan Hashmi starring flop, ‘Why Cheat India?’ this Ashwini Chaudhary directed film also focuses on education related malpractices and is set in North India. Cop Aditya (Aftab Shivdasani) is hot on the trail of a ‘setter’ Apurva (Shreyas Talpade), once his friend, who runs an exam leaking cartel in order to rake in the quick bucks.
While the paper leaking goes on in the back ground, we have Apurva, henchman of Bhaiyyaji (Pavan Malhotra), giving his all, to stay one step ahead of Aditya and his gang of suspended, reinstated cops. There’s cursory complexity in presenting Bhaiyyaji as a thug from Varanasi with big time Political ambitions. Unfortunately, that aspiration doesn’t add any thrill or tension to a narrative that prefers to ingratiate with Tom and Jerry antics rather than solid logical and believable moments.
While a fair amount of interest is generated in the decoding of cryptic messages and substantive interrogations, it’s not the kind that will invigorate or hold interest for sustained periods of time. Superficiality in plotting comes to the fore when talented actors begin to look ill-at-ease in roles that look like walk on parts rather than solidly defined characters. The women in the frame don’t amount to much either. Ishita and Sonalli fail to raise tender feelings towards this poorly defined thriller. Aftab looks stiff and unyielding, Vijay Raaz and Manu Chaddha look silly, Pawan Malhotra sounds too pompous, so it’s upto the talented Shreyas Talpade to serve up some tension and smarts. His performance is the only thing saving this film from imminent Blank-out!
