May 07, 2010 02:57 PM
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I was apprehensive about Badmaash Company as bollywood con-job movies are rarely convincing. So it was with a doubtful mind that I sat down to watch it. But five minutes into the movie, I was hooked.
Badmaash Company is about 4 younsters – Karan (Shahid), Bulbul (Anushka), Chandu (Vir Das) and Zing (Chang) living in Bombay (in 1994 it was Bombay!) who dream of becoming rich quickly. Their friendship with a small-time smuggler gives them a glimpse of the imported goods-custom duty racket that was a big business in the pre-liberalisation era. The ambitious and clever Karan hatches a scheme to make quick money and involves his three friends into it. The scheme works big time and this ‘Friends & Co’ starts earning loads of money by doing the wrong things the right way. The company goes from strength to strength and they take their business from India to America. But with easy money comes problems like inflated egos and ‘too much too soon’. Karan realizes that riding a tiger is thrilling but it is also impossible to get off…...
BC starts with a glimpse into the 1994 Bombay and grips the viewer from the very beginning. The introduction of the 4 main characters is hilarious and the youthful bonding in infectious. BC moves at a fast pace in the first half – the romance between Bulbul and Karan, the first con job, and the tension between Karan and his father (Anupam Kher) – all are well depicted and the attention doesn’t wander even once. The second half also starts off well with a new con job but starts falling once ego issues crop up between the 4 friends. Thankfully, the movie picks up again towards the end when the four badmaash get together again for their final con job. And I walked out of the hall with a smile on my face.
In terms of acting, BC completely belongs to Shahid Kapoor. He has amazing range and I can’t think of any other actor of the new generation who could have portrayed the volatile Karan better. Anushka looks lovely and carries off the itsy-bitsy outfits gracefully but leaves a lot to be desired on the acting front. Chang and Vir are perfect in their roles, not once did I feel that this is their first movie. The supporting cast of Anupam Kher, Pavan Malhotra, Kiran Juneja is good.
First time director Parmeet Sethi deserves kudos for coming up with a polished work in his debut movie. I guess he has also written the script and dialogues (which are quite good). Pritam’s music is decent and goes with the mood of the movie. The choreography is really good and so is the cinematography. Editing could have been a bit tighter in the second half.
All in all, Badmaash Company is a fresh idea shown in an entertaining way. The movie falters somewhat in the second half but the overall experience was good. I want to give it 3.5 stars, but since the movie is genuinely ‘hatke’ I give it 4 stars :)
