Ek Aur Ek Gyarah Review {1.5/5} & Review Rating
With David Dhawan at the helm of affairs, expecting a film with a definite storyline is akin to finding a needle in a haystack.
Also, expecting logic in a David Dhawan flick is like expecting mangoes in winter!
Mukta Arts Ltd.'s EK AUR EK GYARAH is a typical David Dhawan flick � one that relies too heavily on gags and punches, while logic takes a backseat. Like his previous films, this time too the mantra is loud and clear � entertain the masses come what may!
EK AUR EK GYARAH tells the story of two petty thieves, Tara [Govinda] and Sitara [Sanjay Dutt]. They mistakenly get entangled with an underworld don, Cobra [Ashish Vidyarthi], and along with Cobra, get arrested in the process.
Tara and Sitara manage to escape from the custody, but Cobra doesn't, and he swears revenge. Tara and Sitara, who are on the run, have the police as well as Cobra after their lives. They finally decide that the only way out is to cross the border.
Tara and Sitara feel that Major Ram Singh [Jackie Shroff] is the sole person who can help them cross the border. They give a sob story to his family and find their way into Ram Singh's house and in turn, into the hearts of his family. Tara and Sitara also fall in love with Ram Singh's sister [Nandini Singh] and her friend [Amrita Arora], respectively.
When Cobra gets to know of Tara and Sitara's whereabouts, he plans to use them to get his brother Panther [Gulshan Grover] escape from Major Ram Singh's custody. Cobra kidnaps their mother [Himani Shivpuri], reaches Ram Singh's house under the guise of a relative and blackmails Tara and Sitara into getting Panther out. What happens next?
EK AUR EK GYARAH is one roller coaster ride, except that at the end of it you don't want to go for it again. The problem lies in the fact that it looks like an assemblage of a few good sequences, but the outcome leaves you exasperated.
The film pales in comparison to D.D.'s earlier works like AANKHEN, SHOLA AUR SHABNAM, COOLIE NO. 1, HERO NO. 1, BIWI NO. 1, HASEENA MAAN JAAYEGI and JODI NO. 1.
The drawback lies in its waferthin storyline. Actually, the story has nothing novel to offer and the screenplay [Yunus Sajawal; scenario: Shahnawaz Ahmed] is of absolute convenience. In fact, there are times when you feel that a kid must've penned the script � it's so bizarre.
From the writing point of view, the mother's [Himani Shivpuri] track hardly looks convincing. There should've been a few more sequences establishing a deep bond between the mother and the protagonists.
Also, the romantic track is shoddily penned. The heroes' obsession looks implausible, there should've been some build-up at least. Even the romantic songs that crop up at regular intervals do so without valid situations.
The villain's track is equally unpalatable. The villains [Ashish Vidyarthi specially] are reduced to being jokers and that's mainly because the sequences involving them lack intensity.
While the first half of the film is palatable, largely due to a few punches here and there, the pace drops considerably in the latter half. Even the climax, inside an army tank, makes you wonder whether the writers have taken the audience for granted.
EK AUR EK GYARAH does have its share of redeeming points, but they are few. Very few, to be honest.
The dialogues [Bholu Khan and Aman Jaffrey] are the best part of the enterprise. In fact, several sequences get a major boost only because they are well penned and punch-packed and of course, brilliantly delivered by Govinda. The wit and humour in the dialogues deserves distinction marks.
Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy's music does precious little to elevate the goings-on. A majority of Mukta Arts' productions have been embellished with excellent music but in this case, the music is functional. The title track, 'O Dushmana' and 'Jo Majnu Thhe Woh Chale Gaye' are at best average compositions, surely not enough to boost the proceedings.
Director David Dhawan substitutes humour for story and that's where he falters. In fact, a story is sorely missed in this enterprise. Of course, there's no denying the fact that a few light sequences are hilarious, but the sequence of events, at times, hits the sensibilities of the cinegoer.
Nadeem Khan's cinematography is in keeping with the mood of the film. Action [Abbas Moghul] is as usual. The background score is appropriate. The animation in the opening titles [IndiaFM] is impressive.
Of the cast, the show clearly belongs to Govinda, who spells a riot at most times. His flair for comedy is unparalleled and he proves yet again that when it comes to playing to the masses, there's none to touch him. A knockout performance! However, the actor needs to watch his weight, for he looks too plump at places.
Sanjay Dutt compliments Govinda at every step. This jodi [Sanju-Govinda] is getting better with each film. Both the heroines � Amrita Arora and Nandini Singh � are mere decorative pieces. While Amrita is slightly tolerable, Nandini goes over the top completely.
Jackie Shroff is alright. Rajpal Yadav excels yet again. His body language, coupled with his performance, is first-rate. Ashish Vidyarthi and Gulshan Grover look more like local goons than underworld dons � their characterisations should've been stronger. Himani Shivpuri is wasted. Mahesh Anand, Mushtaq Khan and Master Ajay Nagrath are okay.
On the whole, EK AUR EK GYARAH falls short of expectations. Despite a few hilarious moments, excellent dialogues and Govinda's sterling performance, the lack of a cohesive script may tell on its business in the final tally.
