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By Taran Adarsh, February 17, 2006 - 12:44 IST
Posters of the desi FIGHT CLUB instantly conjure images of the videshi FIGHT CLUB [1999; Brad Pitt, ''Michael Meatloaf Lee Aday]. But barring the title and the basic premise [of starting a fight club], there's nothing remotely similar about the two films. Having said that, let's also add that in this rapidly changing scenario, when Bollywood is churning out novel stories, a few storytellers continue to have faith in the tried and tested formula.
FIGHT CLUB, directed by Vikram Chopra, is one such film.
Nothing wrong if you believe in the oft-repeated masala, but you ought to go that extra mile to give all that and more to the viewer of today. Unfortunately, FIGHT CLUB is only style, no substance. The film bears a polished look all through, but how one wishes the makers would've served the entertainment-hungry moviegoer a sumptuous fare.
Standing on a weak foundation [plot], the screenplay is nothing but an assemblage of a few well executed sequences. But let's not forget that gloss and glitter cannot substitute for an arresting plot. Visually and technically, FIGHT CLUB may be a notch above the ordinary, but when it comes to content and the overall impact, the zing and dynamism are clearly missing.
To sum up, this 'club' will not find many members flocking it!
FIGHT CLUB tells the journey of four friends, Vicky [Zayed Khan], Karan [Dino Morea], Somil [Ritiesh Deshmukh] and Diku [Aashish Chowdhry], who, in a constant endeavor to help each other, get entangled in a web of incidents, some romantic, many funny and all that test the extremes of their friendship.
The four friends, who could be mistaken for brothers, are an example of wonderful camaraderie. The story takes a turn when Vicky stumbles upon the idea of a Fight Club, a club which gives people a platform to score with their enemies in an atmosphere of fun, action and excitement.
Amidst the on-going fun, team Fight Club get entangled in affairs of the heart and mind with Anu [Dia Mirza] and Shonali [Amrita Arora], which thicken their bonds tighter… and make them travel to Delhi to look after a nightclub, 'Crossroads', which is in the eye of a storm created by Delhi's most dangerous ganglords.
There's a twist in the tale as the ex-kingpin Anna's [Suniel Shetty] brother Mohit [Yash Tonk] gets killed. This fills Anna with vengeance and situations take an ugly turn. Dinesh [Ashmit Patel], a merciless soul, masterminds the plan of killing. His brother Sandy [Rahul Dev] gives him strong company, as always.
Team Fight Club calls on their ace, Sameer [Sohail Khan], a bouncer, to tilt the balance in their favor. In the puffed up atmosphere of fists and fights, Sameer finds love in the name of Komal [Neha Dhupia]. Now, in a strange new city, these five boys from Mumbai experience love, passion and also the worst enemies in the form of ganglords.
If there's one aspect that you carry home after FIGHT CLUB has concluded, it's the skillfully executed action sequences. Of course, the film has to live up to the title, but not at the cost of throwing the story on the backseat. That's precisely the problem with FIGHT CLUB.
Actually, come to think of it, the film stands on a feeble foundation. The basic premise -- of starting a fight club to settle scores with foes -- sounds juvenile. The concept may've appealed in the U.S., but expecting the Indian masses or the youth in particular to buy this idea is next to impossible.
If the material is amateurish, the screenplay is of convenience completely. In fact, out of the 2.45 minutes' length of this film, half of it is devoted to either singing, dancing and light banter and the remaining half goes into fights, fights and more fights. The story, sadly, comes to the fore only in the penultimate reels.
Director Vikram Chopra has concentrated more on visuals than content and that's the reason why the film fails to hold your attention. The sole aspect that stays alive even after the show has ended is the action sequences, but that's no compliment. It's a clear case of form overpowering content!
Music [Pritam] is a mixed bag. Barring two tracks, the first song and 'Chhore Ki Baatein', which are foot tapping, the soundtrack is monotonous otherwise. Cinematography is eye-catching. The film has an upmarket look from start to end. Stunts are outstanding, but the MATRIX effects are getting repetitive. Dialogues lack novelty.
The story doesn't demand histrionics, but the ones who stand out are, in this order, Zayed Khan, Dino Morea and Sohail Khan. Suniel Shetty is wasted. Ritesh also doesn't get much scope. Aashish Chowdhry irritates. Yash Tonk goes over the top. Ashmit Patel and Rahul Dev are okay. The leading ladies don't get much scope either, but Dia Mirza is easy on the eyes. Amrita Arora and Neha Dhupia are hardly there.
On the whole, FIGHT CLUB is all style, no substance. But, let's not forget, all that glitters is not gold. At the box-office, it's one major disappointment!
  
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