Hungama Review {2/5} & Review Rating
Fun unlimited � that's what the publicity campaign of HUNGAMA, directed by Priyadarshan, promises.
But when you embark on a journey called HUNGAMA, you realise that the director has provided laughter unlimited, but logic takes a complete backseat as the story unfolds.
In short, Priyadarshan takes the David Dhawan route of entertaining the masses, but packs it with his own brand of wit and humour that one witnessed in his earlier flick HERA PHERI.
Anjali [Rimi Sen], a young village girl, desperately wants a job. But she gets it only when Jeetu [Akshaye Khanna] misunderstands her as the daughter of a tycoon, Radheshyam Tiwari [Paresh Rawal].
Jeetu wants a small initial investment to make it big in life. But to get started, he has to rob his father. And now he is in search of a rich woman he can marry.
Nandu [Aftab Shivdasani] dreams of becoming a famous singer, but his parents are dead against it. So he has to run away from home and live in Mumbai on his own. Anjali and Nandu are forced to live under one roof and have to pretend to be married.
Anil [Sanjay Narvekar], a bank employee, wants to marry the only daughter of a rich person, Tejabhai alias Kachraseth [Shakti Kapoor]. But to impress the girl, he pretends to be the son of Radheshyam Tiwari.
Mrs. Tiwari [Shoma Anand] is happily married to her husband, Radheshyam. But her encounter with Kachraseth makes her believe that her husband has sons and daughters outside their marriage.
Radheshyam never wants to believe that his wife loves a young lad called 'Jeetu from Videocon'. But the proof substantiating the same is rock solid and soon the circumstances are such that their marriage is on the rocks.
Things go out of hand as confusion prevails and chaos reigns supreme�
Inspired from Priyadarshan's Malayalam film, the first half-an-hour of HUNGAMA is extremely confusing. That's because the director introduces all the characters and their stories in the first two reels itself.
Whether it is the conflict between Akshaye and his miser-dad, or Rimi's desperate search for a job, or Aftab's hunt for a home as well as a job, or Paresh Rawal and his wife [Shoma Anand] moving to their city home, or Sanjay Narvekar's strategy of getting rich overnight by marrying Shakti Kapoor's daughter, all these tracks are unveiled at the start of the film itself.
Although the first half-an-hour abounds in bewilderment and confusion, it must be pointed out that the funny situations all these characters land into, keeps the viewer in splits. Director Priyadarshan's funda is clear � Provide non-stop entertainment, even if logic or reality goes out of the window.
The director's contribution looms large in sequences when Paresh Rawal suspects his wife Shoma Anand of having an affair with Akshaye Khanna and, in turn, Shoma Anand suspects Paresh of indulging in an extra-marital relationship with Rimi Sen. Besides, the last half-an-hour of the film is truly funny and the fight in Shakti Kapoor's godown as also the 'electric shock' sequence are sure to bring the house down.
On the flip side, the director has relied so heavily on gags, punches and wit that the story takes a backseat. The film, to be honest, looks like an amalgamation of several well executed sequences, that's it. Even the finale, when Rimi has to make a choice between the two heroes, leaves you with the feeling that the writer was in a tearing hurry to culminate their love story.
On the other hand, Neeraj Vora's dialogues are the mainstay of the enterprise. They succeed in enhancing the impact of light scenes. Cinematography is alright, though not a patch on Priyadarshan's earlier works.
Nadeem-Shravan's music is ear-pleasing but, strangely, all the songs have been featured as dream sequences. Moreover, the songs come up without valid situations, making you feel as if they have been incorporated in the film because Hindi films are, perhaps, incomplete without song and dance routines.
The performances of the entire cast are loud, but one doesn't mind that since the film is frivolous in any case. Akshaye Khanna is the sober of the lot and like always, comes up with a decent performance.
Aftab Shivdasani is reasonably good, although he doesn't get much scope to display histrionics. Newcomer Rimi Sen takes you by surprise. Extremely attractive and photogenic, the actress holds on despite sharing the frame with seasoned performers.
Paresh Rawal is loud and theatrical, but it goes well in a film like this. The masses are sure to like him. Shoma Anand is equally convincing, although she tends to go overboard in a few sequences. Shakti Kapoor is as usual. Rajpal Yadav is brilliant, although he comes in quite late in the film. Tiku Talsania and Upasna Singh are fair. Sanjay Narvekar is so-so.
On the whole, HUNGAMA is a light entertainer with several hilarious moments. At the box-office, the business will be best in Mumbai.
