Bad to worse. Review on Shaadi Se Pehle

Thinking that I can unwind after a hard days work,I went for the preview show of Shaadi se pehle. In hindsight, a hundred days of hard back breaking work would have been a better bargain.

Mukta Arts, after Iqbal , plunges to new depths of mediocrity with SSP. SSP tells the story of Akshaye Khanna (Ashish) who falls in love with Ayesha Takia (Rani) and they are engaged to be married. But a misunderstanding with his doctor gives him the impression that he has terminal stage cancer and has only a year to live. Fearfull of breaking Ayesha heart by revealing this news to her, he tries to put on a bad-guy act, hoping Ayeshas family will call off the engagement. But his attempts prove futile.

Into his life then comes Mallika Sherawat ( Sania), a model. A few songs later, she falls in love with him. Sunil Shetty plays Anna, Mallika brother, an don, who is hell bent on getting them married. How Akshaye Khanna manages to get out of this situation and win back his lady love Ayesha forms the basis of the movie.

After a string of comedy hit movies last year, this year might see an exodus of imitations. Some work, some dont. After the delectable Malamaal Weekly, SSP comes as a big big dissapointment. The movie trudges along at its own pace, and sometimes is so slow that you start wishing you had the remote in your hand, to jab the skip button.

The characters are caricatures, with no genuineness anywhere. You get the feeling that there is no spontainity. Everyone is putting one big show.

After Mallikas entry the movie garners some zip, but like a candle being blown out by a gust of wind, it soon dissapears. And Akshaye khannas clothes have to be seen to be believed. Govinda would have done much better.

Performances:

Akshaye Khanna : normally a dependable actor, fails to deliver this time. His comic timing is off. Hams in quite a few scenes.

Ayesha Takia: Is limited in a sweet-girl kind of role.

Mallika Sherawat : She needs to do something different fast.

Aftab Shivdasani : Is cast as Akshayes irritating friend, who tries to steal Ayesha from him. Not worth commenting on.

Suneil Shetty : Is a take off on his Awaara Pagal Deewana character. Draws a few laughs.

Rajpal Yadav: Steals the show. Although he is shown drunk almost throughout the movie, a sober Rajpal Yadav would have been better.

Boman Irani : Almost a special appearance. Does his Parsi act again.

Anupam Kher: After ''Maine Gandhi ko nahi maara'', you dont need to do this crap.

SSP suffers from a hackneyed script and mediocre dialogues. Satish Kaushik has not managed to pull it off this time. The music is allright, but to lift this non starter, it should have been exceptional.

Yeh movie dehkne se pehle, pop an aspirin. And for good measure, have one later too.