Tedious entry in the diary

Johnson Thomas

This film, set in Ranchi, the capital of Jharkhand, has the overriding ambition of becoming a ‘desi’ ‘Oceans 11’ and there’s even a sequence alluding to that inspiration…but wanting to be and making it happen are two different things altogether. 

Like the serious cop played by Jimmy Shergill in the film asks the gawkers and bystanders surrounding the cordoned off site of a so-called terrorist attack, ‘Yahan Kya Ho Raha Hai?’; translated, it means ‘What’s Happening here?’ 

Even if you sit through the entire film, you just won’t figure that out. There’s a whole lot of confusion in the narrative spiel. Threading Naxalism into the narrative that highlights bullying, locally infamous politics and goon-swagger, Sattwik’s film tries to pull off a comedy of errors that starts off trying to be a thriller. Dark designs don’t necessarily equate to drama or satire, unless it’s written, directed and cut with the efficiency of an assured craftsman. Sattwik Mohanty doesn’t appear to be one though. 

Pinku (Taaha Shah), a food-cart owner, is the mouthy leader of his self-proclaimed gang of bullies. Monu (Himansh Kohli), his friend, is not too happy with this preoccupation and aspires to leave the city for a secure job, alongside his lover, Gudiya (Soundarya Sharma), who dreams of become a singing sensation like Shakira. 

Thakur Bhaiya (Anupam Kher), a corrupt politician, wants Gudiya to be his soul-mate though and does everything to prevent Monu from disrupting his plans. In the interim, Pinku, Monu, Gudiya and two other friends plan to rob a local bank, but everything goes awry when a naxal commander enters the scene. And then, of course, the earnest cop (Jimmy Shergill) lands at the crime scene and everything balloons into a farce - definitely not the enjoyable kind!

The performances are annoying. Even Anupam Kher and Jimmy Shergill’s sincere attempts to make it real, look forced. The narrative doesn’t have the sharpness to make what looked like a promising idea, more appealing. The music and songs, though peppy, don’t fit into the small-town milieu depicted here. Frankly there’s nothing entertaining about this misfiring-on-all-fronts, tasteless and unaccomplished attempt at political satire.