Chhodon Naa Yaar Review

One moment the three friends [Jimmy Sheirgill, Kabir Sadanand, Farid Amri] are hugging each other and paying homage to Amitabh Bachchan with references to DEEWAR, DOSTANA and TRISHUL (now that's a third time this is done in two weeks flat, first with PARWANA in JOHNNY GADDAAR and then with AGNEEPATH in GO) and a moment later tragedy strikes which brings an abrupt twist to the tale.

Let me give some more context about what exactly was happening. These three Mass Communications students who are aspiring directors head into a lost village up North to explore the mystery behind disappearing people. So far so good as one gets to understand that these are three young men on a business cum adventure trip.

Ok, so the adventure begins, they come across frightened villagers who are unwilling to open their mouths (the documentary style narration is well shot here), they hear tales about a girl who was murdered in the forest due to which her spirit continued to haunt the surroundings, they come across a mysterious 'pujari' and his 'sevak' who keep giving strange-n-icy stares and eventually also come face to face with the spirit.

Hmm, interesting and in fact even scary. So what now? Do these three youngsters want to finish their adventure here and head back home (any sane person would do so considering the fact that they have already been warned that 'yahan se aaj tak koyi bachke wapas nahi gaya') or try to solve the mystery of this spirit?

But then where is the mystery? It is clear that 4-6 men were responsible for her death, she is completely unhappy about what happened to her and in general she is hardly disturbing the trio. So why not head for home? But no! These three decide to capture it all on camera. Chalo, yahan tak bhi theek hai! But then why run behind her? What would you gain out of that? Do you have spiritual powers to negate her issues?

And it's also not that they are not convinced about her being a spirit. After all they have seen her coming and disappearing right in front of them, whether it is 'nadi kinaare', 'khidki ke saamne' or 'jungle mein bhaagte'! To add to it, they have also realized that a big mess up has happened with the spirit making a topsy-turvy of the signs they had put on the trees. Run buddy run! That's a simple message. But that doesn't happen.

To add to the vows, last five minutes of the film are unpardonable as the documentary video is played for the friends and families of the deceased in a plush screening hall. If the intent was to get audience all moist eyed, then sorry it was wrongly executed.

So what are the positives that one brings out from the film? It's first half which reasonably sets the base for better things to happen in the narrative. The opening college sequence, the road trip to the jungle, shooting of documentary, lighter moments shared between the three friends, dialogues mouthed by Kabir Sadanand who plays a 'jat', build up to the suspense and the terrific interval point (it does give a jolt) - all of this makes a viewer anticipate a good second half.

But post interval the film continues to slide down alarmingly with every passing reel. In fact there is a suicide note written all over it when an ill placed flashback song sequence 'Kasak' arrives. Soon after the emotional melodrama between the three friends looks so forced and the film ending soon after just doesn't help it's cause.

Jimmy Sheirgill is earnest as always and is turning out to be extremely natural in front of the camera with every passing film. In fact he doesn't seem to be acting at all if one looks at his recent crop of films [EKLAVYA, DELHII HEIGHTS, RAQEEB, VICTORIA NO. 203] and deserves to be re-launched in a big way by a reputed banner and a film maker. Anyone listening?

Kabir Sada