Nothing valuable in this safe!

Jasmine Singh

Golak Bugni Bank Te Batua, a Punjabi film on demonetisation... a fresh and a new concept, with an interesting storyline, screenplay and dialogues. But even with many things going in the film’s favour, it still fails to create an impact. GBBTB has enough comedy, which could have made your day, somehow, the crossfire of punches between seasoned actors like Jaswinder Bhalla and BN Sharma didn’t sit well on the film’s platter. It seems like a ‘been there done that’ thing.

Director Ksshitij Chaudhary, known for whipping up laugh riots, brings forth his signature style in GBBTB in bits and pieces. The film, however, offers an interesting storyline and screenplay (Dheeraj Ratan), first of its kind to be attempted in Punjabi cinema. But just like the real demonetisation issue that created an uproar in the beginning but eventually died in a whimper, Golak Bugni Bank Te Batua tows the same line.

The film also has a parallel track, an old era represented by Amrinder Gill and Aditi Sharma. Though Amrinder Gill is one of the best actors in the Punjabi film industry, and Aditi is proving to be a fine actress, one cannot decide even till the end whether this parallel track was unavoidable or not.

Even though GBBTB is a crisp film, the depiction of demonetisation is shown in the best possible way, the scenes are not stretched, romance is not thrust upon forcibly, songs fit in well, still it doesn’t create the spectacle it should have ideally created.

Artistes like Harish Verma and Simi Chahal keep the spirit of the film high. The filmi jodi gets thumbs-up for their natural and free-flowing acting. Another artiste, Pukhraj Bhalla, too deserves a mention for bringing in fresh comedy. This holds true for Bollywood actor Sumit Gulati of Talvar fame, the artiste injects some interesting comic punches. Anita Devgan, BN Sharma and Jaswinder Bhalla have unbeatable comedy timing but in the film it tastes like a sponge which is dripping in sweetness, but when you bite into it, it tastes like any other mithai!

It was a pleasant change to see brilliant Bollywood actor Rajesh Sharma in the shortest possible role, adding nothing to the film somehow. What was the director or the casting director thinking?

The film’s music, given by Jatinder Shah, is however one of the best things in the film.

Even though, the film has kept its story, screenplay and comedy safely in the golak, breaking it, one wouldn’t find anything valuable. It would however be enough for plain sustenance.

[email protected]