Dil Kabaddi Review

Yeah! Years back we had censor boards so hard-and-fast on cuts for root word of 'profanity' and 'adult contents'. And now, the scenario hop-skips on different grounds where Indian audiences have to resist the shock with such bold themes hitting screens. Dil Kabaddi is off that sort where you'll have characterizations speaking about their on-bed issues so openly. It's not about theme, but the film in no way ingrains with flimsy 'n' sluggish screenplay that pushes us into pits of disappointments for complete 120mins.

What could have been the intentions of filmmaker Anil Senior in making this film? Maybe, he should've overwhelmed with an idea of getting his name listed amongst filmmakers in era of Bollywood's changing phase. Of course, he deserves special mention but his best credits get diminished as his narration lacks finesse letting us yawn oftentimes.

Dil Kabbadi is a marital comedy and to quote Irrfan Khan "It is Kabbadi that one's heart plays". The film delves into the lives of two couples who are caught in the web of post marital boredom. How the couples deal with an irresistible temptation of lurking out of the relationship for some fun is what the film explores. All in all Dil Kabaddi is a humorous take on a cosmopolitan Mumbai Jaisa Shahar where it's realms of west-toxication laying its impact on married couples.

Samit (Irrfan Khan) and Mita (Soha Ali Khan) after couple of years of marriage, decide to split-up. Unable to withhold his sexual desires, Samit has no options other than getting into relationship with his yoga instructor Kaya (Payal Rohatgi). Well, it's his time for simmering down with his chintziest desires apart from sexual satisfactions.

On the pars, Rishi (Rahul Bose) and Simi (Konkona Sen Sharma) happen to be happily married couples. But again, its fantasies that urges them out to look for other affairs. Rishi, an instructor at film academy falls for his 21yrs Raga (Saba Azad) while Simi introduces Mita to her friend Veer (Rahul Khanna), but she gets attracted to him.

Rest of the story is about their hearts playing Kabaddi resulting in more break-ups and patch-ups.

Fine! As mentioned earlier, it's not a question of audiences grasping bold 'n' surprisal theme for they're ready to welcome new themes.  From alpha-till-omega, its complete formula of 'nothing is impressive and everything is ridiculous' prevailing throughout the show. Each characters looking at lens and narrating their tales is something innovative, but again they're inherited from some of yesteryear's Bollywood and Hollywood flicks.

As usual, Irrfan Khan comes up with decent performance throughout all sequences. His characterization is so funny all throughout. It's more illustrious with opening shot where he encounters rib-tickling dialogues with Soha Ali Khan about wearing black goggles at night and driving car. Again, where he calls-up Soha with Payal on his side takes us for a ride-of-laughter. Soha Ali Khan is decent on her show and her part is more on emotions eclipsing comedies. Konkona Sen is cool and performs with an ease. Anil Senior has designed her characterization so precisely where she starts comparing about her marital relationship with Rahul Bose once their friends split-up.

Ditto to Rahul Bose as he does justice to his role emoting to certain sequences is merely ne plus ultra. Be it his encounters with Konkona on discussing intimate issues or his 21yrs student obliging for a lip lock; they're amazing.

Don't miss the show of Rahul Khanna while he is nonplussed in the climax sequence as he meets Irrfan and Payal with Soha Ali Khan is fantastic. Sabha Azad comes up with a moderate show while Payal is unbearable.

If witticisms carry off the show delighting audiences, the torpid aspects especially with enormous flashbacks may get them perplexed. Anil Senior should've maintained the tempo in the latter half as in initial hours.

Musical score by Sachin Gupta isn't lavish except 'Uthale Ya Phenk De' on final rolling credits. It would have been nice if there were visuals screened as it had made high waves with promos.

Cinematography is excellent especially on vistas of 'Fourth Wall' and 'Soliloquies' rendered by characters looking at lens.

On the whole, Dil Kabbadi as bold theme-yet-lightly delivered stops it from striking gold. Anil Senior should've have preferably worked more to give a prolific show.

Verdict: Strictly for Adults

Rating: *1/2