Maan Gaye Mughal-E-Azam Review

This one was supposed to be one of the most awaited movies of the year for various reasons. Firstly, it brings back the `selective role choosing' Mallika Sherawat alongside Rahul Bose. The two had a huge success story last year with `Pyaar Ke Side Effects' and thus a repeat is expected here.

Also there is lots more value in terms of the talented Paresh Rawal , Kay Kay Menon  and Zakir Hussain. Things get even better when the title revolves around one of hindi cinema's most successful venture till date.

Maybe the title may be good enough to provide a hampering rebound effect.

Synopsis..

Maan Gaye Mughall-E-Azam is a mad, contemporary comedy about how a small town drama company gets involved in a deadly mission to save the country. Circa 1993 - The country was burning due to the Babri structure demolition and communal riots. A small town like St. Louise near Goa, where Police, CBI and RAW officers were out on high alert due to illegal activities like Rdx and Arms landing at the coastal area!

Set up in the same town is Kalakar Theatre Company, a theatre group of self indulgent dreamy actors who are always left with no choice but to perform the same age old period play 'Maan Gaye Mughall-E-Azam' every time. One fine day, they come to know that, an underworld don is planning a severe bomb blast in the country.

A funny and thrilling roller-coaster ride begins when the entire drama company designs 'A Deadly Game plan' and gets into the act to save the entire city from this blasts. Performing multiple roles in disguise, the characters make you go crazy and eventually, save the entire nation from the big bomb blast in a hilarious slapstick climax. It's a story of losers becoming winners... 'Actors' becoming 'Heroes' ...A comedy which thinks and winks!!!

`Maan Gaye...' is well set within the parameters of the local theatre company and the noise produced by various characters involved with this theatre company. The movie takes off well with some really hilarious dialogues one after the other.

And then What?

There are a lot more of these dialogues with the film really not taking a step ahead. Sanjay Chel  has no doubt been one of bollywood's most successful dialogue writers with film's such as `Rangeela' , `Yes Boss' etc to mention a few. Even as a director, he did well with his debut `Khoobsurat' starring Sanjay Dutt and Urmila.

But, this one is seriously  lame with all the focus being laid on the dialogues and the so called comedy flick getting its patriotic angle etc which is plain silly.

The film has definitely been inspired from the Hollywood flick `To Be or Not to Be' starring Mel Brooks . The change here comes in the form of the shift from a Nazi environment to a riot prone Mumbai of the 90's.

There are has been immense emphasis of Mallika Sherawat and her assets that the likes of Kay Kay , Rahul Bose and Paresh Rawal become insignificant.

What was all that undercover agent stuff and the words `Mulk','Quam' etc doing in this comedy flick. It just made people look like clowns.

Mallika Sherawat does have some comic scenes with Kay Kay and her interaction sequences with Rahul too are funny. Mallika uses her oomph factor and brings in comedy specially cause of the support she receives from an actor like Paresh Rawal.

Paresh Rawal no doubt does well but leaves you with nothing much as the jokes and dialogues get repetitive. Kay Kay menon, What was he doing in this flick? He was so insignificant and was a cut paste of Naseeruddin Shah from `Sarfarosh'. It's quite amazing that the very same Paresh and Kay Kay who were absolutely underused  have brilliant roles to play in the competitor film of the week-`Mumbai Meri Jaan'.

Rahul Bose who started his career real well on a more serious role , has now started getting commercialized. The masses did love his bit in `Pyaar Ke side Effects' , but he needs to take scripts with some substance. He was fantastic with comedy in `Jhankaar Beats' but in this one he falls flat and his hindi needs major improvement.

Pawan Malhotra does well and Zakir Hussain is ok.

All the naach-Gaana courtesy Anu Malik is not good enough to hold the masses except for `Marmari Baatein'. The music of the film too isn't great and visuals of the songs aren't appealing enough.

The movie requires some serious trimming and the cinematography is ok.

Chel has indeed excelled with his dialogues but not much emphasis has been laid on the script. Thus, this flick just ends up being nothing much but an overdose of one liners and witty remarks.

Rating : *1/2