ASHOK’s FIVE reasons to watch #
now streaming on Hotstar. Starring the redoubtable Irrfan Khan in a comeback role after being diagnosed with neuroendocrine tumour, the film is a full-on saccharine overdose and all five reason perhaps can only be him! Directed by Homi Adjania – Being Cyrus ( 2006) and Cocktail (2012), the premise of a father-daughter relationship set amidst many sub-plots including the craze for foreign education falls squarely flat in an absurd mock-tail of an overloaded cast with nothing to do, cute sounding Rajasthani dialect that shines to disappoint and attempts at comic humour that needs more than hand wash to sanitize!
1. Irrfan makes a comeback with his trademark comic timing and sardonic humour. The scenes where his relationship with his daughter played with élan by Radhika Madaan are eminently watchable before the madness begins. Irrfan plays Champak Bansal, a widower based in Udaipur who will do anything for his daughter. She in turn wants to study abroad and this sets in motion a series of events that are supposedly funny. Unfortunately though, Irrfan looks tired and haggard and someone needs to tell him that big round eyes and a crooked smile with deadpan dialogue delivery is now passé!
2. Beyond Irrfan there is a heavy-duty over-the-top cast that boasts Kareena Kapoor Khan, Ranvir Shorey, Deepak Dobriyal, Radhika Madaan, Dimple Kapadia, Pankaj Tripathi and Kiku Sharada and. None of the character are sketched out well enough and the characters fall like Humpty-Dumpty leaving you waiting impatiently for the finale to the insipid tale.
3. The screenplay, sub-plots and some of the turn of events are far too convenient and inconsistent and leave you wondering whether you actually tuned in to one of the badly baked episodes of Kapil Sharma’s show
4. Deepak Dobriyal is someone I particularly look forward to but here he is completely wasted. To be fair though, it is only the chemistry between him and Irrfan that made me sit through the film
5. I am struggling to figure out what was the intent of the film – the complexity of a father-daughter relationship, misplaced ambitions of foreign education, friendship redefined or rustic humour portraying bumbling idiots although they are well-meaning souls
Angrezi Medium is a masterclass in assembling all the ingredients and incorporating the right blend of spices in the cooking bowl but forgetting to light the flame. The script, character development and sub-plots all need more cooking. I wish I could say go watch it if you are a fan of Irrfan but perhaps better to square your shoulders and let this one fly off the wicket and into the gloves of the wicket keeper! #disneyplushotstarpremiere
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