Jan 05, 2004 12:11 AM
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(Updated Jan 05, 2004 12:11 AM)
Expectations soared Sky-High as Vidhu Vinod Chopra announced his latest venture with Sanjay Dutt, aptly named Munnabhai MBBS. This time around, Vidhu donned the cap of Producer, delegating the responsibility of Direction as well Script to Rajkumar Hirani, who was the editor of his previous effort, Mission Kashmir. The day of the premiere, all that I saw on TV was the Director and the Producer laughing and having a ball, self-proclaiming their film to be a SUPER HIT, and that the audience enjoyed it.
To cut the long story short, lets come to the point. Munnabhai, universally acclaimed by critics and MS’ians alike, didn’t impress me much. Quite contradictory to everyone’s opinion na?!
Munnabhai MBBS features a host of FIRST TIMERS.
Sanjay Dutt, who’s most comfortable doing Bhai and Gunda kind of roles, or playing Second Fiddle to Govinda in David Dhawan movies, tries his hand at Humor. Does it work? NO!!
Rajkumar Hirani, previously chip-chopping films at the editing table, gets behind the camera and gives Direction his best shot. Does it work? NO!!
Sanjay and Sunil Dutt get together after a LONG time to try creating Magic on the screen! Reel life = Real life.Does it work? NO!
The movie is filled with Mumbaiya TAPORI language, trying hard to capture the lifestyle of Mumbai’s local dons to perfection. Does it work? Well, u guessed it, NO!!
Munnabhai MBBS is a BIG DISAPPOINTMENT, especially for those who’ve relished Paresh Rawal’s frolics in Hera Pheri, Awara Paagal Deewana, even some light-hearted comedies like Kal Ho Naa Ho.
Munnabhai is one of those BAD movies, which give you a feeling of watching a Serial rather than a Full-Fledged Motion Picture. Scenes feel artificial and due to the GROSS inability of the Director to extract performances out of the gifted actors, SUPERFICIALITY RULES! It’s a feeling that can’t be expressed through words…u gotta watch it to believe it!! Stupid na?! I’m recommending you NOT to watch it and in the same tone saying that YOU GOTTA WATCH IT TO BELIEVE IT!!
As I state in every revu of mine, the 4 pillars of a GOOD movie are Story, Screenplay, Dialogues and Direction. I don’t think there has been one movie that has had all 4 virtues and still done BAD business. Lets see how this one fares!
Story/Screenplay : PATCH ADAMS M.B.B.S?! Early bird previews suggested that this one might just be a REHASH of the Hollywood Hit. Watching the movie proves that though the concept may have been conveniently borrowed, comparing the Result would mean comparing Aishwarya Rai and Queen Latifah!!!
The sequences ever since Munna lands into the hospital resembled my WORST EVER NIGHTMARE!! Even worser than that!! What in the heaven is going on there? Read the following and u’ll know what I went through!
Furnishing fake certificates within few hours.
Getting a professor to write the entrance exams on his behalf.
Giving everyone in distress a Jadoo Ki Jhappi till he gets a TIGHT JHAPPA from a cancer patient (played Superbly by Jimmy Shergill).
Arranging for a dead body who wakes up suddenly ( this scene is particularly offensive to the foreign tourists).
Arranging for a Cabaret Dancer to dance at night in the ward (who wears the skimpiest bra that’ll put FTV to shame!) to fulfill the last wishes of the Cancer Patient.
Arranging a special bed for and talking to a human vegetable no less everyday.
Even calling his whole gang and providing entertainment for the college free of cost (by singing songs of his love life)….
Munnabhai M.B.B.S made a BHEJA FRY of my poor Brain!!
Direction : As I mentioned earlier, Rajkumar Hirani is AWFUL at directing Comedies. Someone said that David Dhawan movies defy logic. Well, to say the least, this one confirms that this guys name should be placed instead of Davids! He makes humorous scenes look and feel boring and the boring scenes? Well they’re just lullabies!
Dialogues : A lot of praise was showered on Abbas Tyrewala, who gave the movie a Mumbaiya kind of feel with his lines….Well, frankly 10% of the humor was digestable and enjoyable, but the rest needed to be taken with a pinch of Pudina! Simply boring!
Coming to Performances,
Sanjay Dutt is a clear MISFIT for the role of Munnabhai. He does nothing to inject life into the character and make it funny or humorous. He looks either DRUNK or TIRED during most portions of the movie. Its clearly not his fault. Why offer him a role that is completely alien to him, where his contribution is a clear QUESTION MARK?
Gracy Singh dresses up in TIGHT, Body-Hugging Salwar Kameez which only shows the Excess Fat that has accumulated since Lagaan. Her role is strictly One-Dimensional and offers her no scope of performing except smiling thru’ the movie. Also one can clearly see the Cotton stuffings in the right places!!
Arshad Warsi and Jimmy Shergill give the BEST performances. Both fit comfortably into their respective roles and exceed expectations. Arshad has some of the BEST lines in the movie while Jimmy has enough scope to perform in the emotional scenes.
Boman Irani is a Gifted Actor. He performs well too but his role has not been developed well enough to make sure the scenes are rip-roaringly hilarious. Blame it on the Director and Script Writer, both of which are Rajkumar Hirani.
The rest don’t really impress in any way.
Music by Anu Malik is a Debacle with a capital D. None of the songs sound melodious or peppy. I would rate it absolutely ZILCH and feel it is a complete Antithesis of his performance in LOC! Background Score is a REHASH of Mission Kashmir…..pathetic!!
Cinematography by Binod Pradhan is the saving grace of the Technical Dept. His work is as usual PERFECT!! The angles and lighting is just what the doctor ordered! Art Direction is also Good Enough….but none of these really matter when the going-ons are Wishy-Washy!!
All in all, Munnabhai M.B.B.S is a classic case of all the right ingredients resulting in a Unpalatable Dish!! Rajkumar Sahab, please stick to your scissors next time around!
