The last time I walked into a theater to watch a Prabhudheva film was Action Jackson. It took me days to overcome the trauma. I was only hoping that Singh is Bliing would do better. Strangely, 30 minutes into the film I was made to wonder if we were heading the same way. Thankfully, by the end of it I was proven wrong. Singh is Bliing is not as bad. It's a different matter that I am yet to figure what was the 'bliing' all about. But name is not the only thing that defies logic.
A foolish Raftaar Singh is sent away by his father to Goa so that he can work with his friend Kirpal. Raftaar is handed responsibility of taking care of one of Kirpal's guests - Sara, from Romania - who can't understand Hindi. Most of the plot is built on the premise that Raftaar can't speak and understand English while Sara can't speak and understanding Hindi. Hard to believe that a Hindi speaking father's daughter can't get a single Hindi word. But there are lot more things that are so much harder to believe!
Sara is in India looking for her mother, which she actually never does, except only when it is very convenient for the screenplay writer. Raftaar is not the best fighter while Sara is unbeatable, and yet when it matters most Sara turns into a crying helpless lady while Raftaar almost transforms in into a Sunny Deol prototype!
Good thing is that amidst a directionless script there are some funny, though pointless, comic scenes, which help keep one awake. And Lara Dutta, who does a cameo as a translator, steals the limelight in these sequences. So much that you wish she was a larger part of the film.
Akshay is earnest in his part as a fool, but that can hardly salvage a film. Amy, without an effort to act, is saved by the fact that she does not need to speak Hindi. Kay Kay as a crazy gang-lord is more irritating that impressive. He simple fails to evoke the charm that the character could have done with.
Irony that the first half of the film, though heading nowhere, is far more entertaining the second half which takes some direction. The laughs dry out and then there is no saving from yawns and bewilderment.
Singh is Bliing is one of those films you could watch, only the first half of, if you are completely out of choice. But when you do have better choices in the same week, why bother?
