Ah, it takes all sorts! Especially in this day and age of instant information;
who knows what you might run into on your computer? Mickey Virus is Bollywood's first
Subhash K Jha speaks about Mickey Virusfull-fledged film on the virtual world. The hero - if we may call Manish Paul's languid lazy
vagabondish character that is of a computer hacker, and one who likes to take his time over
every punch of the keyboard. He is a bit of a bum, you know! Mercifully debutant director
Saurabh Varma's film moves in a mood defiantly opposite to the hero's indolent indiscretions.
Tightly-scripted, cleverly-worded and arrestingly encrypted Mickey Virus drags the
hackers' hemisphere into the hectic mode.
I am tempted to use computer jargon to describe the ultra-svelte moves that define the virtual
progression of this slickly-executed cyber-drama. Alas, I am not as equipped as our debutant
hero and his comp-friendly pals (with names like 'Floppy' and 'Chutney') to throw around
electronic jargon. Never mind! Even if your familiarity with the virtual world is minimal,
Mickey Virus makes for enjoyable viewing. It's voguish vibrant, vital and viral, and yet
extremely fastidious about keeping the plot above the temptation of throwing virtual weight
around.
First and foremost this a well-woven thriller about an average 20-something Delhi dude who falls
in love and falls into a cyber-trap and hits his head into a scam that could destroy his life.
Costa-Gavras on a Shoojit Sircar mission? To reveal any more of the plot would be akin to giving
away the film's USPs. Suffice it to say that the debutant director knows his cinema as closely
as he knows his computer. He weaves cinematic elements into a kind of one-night-in-the-life-of
... tale that spins in dizzying motions.
If Sudhir Mishra had made this film it would be titled Iss Raat Ki Cyber Nahin.
Delhi, that favourite sheher of many recent, decent and indecent, dramas and thrillers,
is again caught in sinister provocative postures. The roads and lanes, Nehru Place or a chowmein
outlet, every outdoor location has a story to tell. Strange, how Manish Paul, switching
effortlessly from his cocky on-stage antics on reality shows to a kind of languorous screen
appearance that is dangerously close to Ranbir Kapoor's Sid-meets-Besharam act, pulls out all
stops to make Mickey look real to the point of being your next door neighbour's son, much in the
same way as Ayushmann Khurrana. Only, Manish is goofier, more adventurous in his exploration of
adrift urbanite. He is undoubtedly an interesting actor with an unpremeditated screen presence.
Let's put it this way - if over-instruction obstructs Mickey's dexterity on the
computer, then too many rehearsals are sure to spoil Manish Paul's camera-friendliness. It
remains to be seen where Manish Paul takes his wastrel's insouciance next. Mickey Virus
gives the debutant a chance to romance the dark side of youngistan with unselfconscious
fluidity. There is also a cutely written romance woven into the hacker's tale. Eli Avram
currently locked away in Bigg Boss house shows up as a manifestation of... well, Manish
Paul's virtual fantasy named Kungfu Chameli. There is an endearing courtship plan blessedly not
over-punctuated by songs. God Forbid! Manish's Mickey probably doesn't even watch Bollywood
films! For a newcomer to shoulder a thriller adeptly there must be some accomplished actors
around him for support. Manish Paul, lucky sod, gets his namesake Manish Choudhary as a stern
placid police officer who needs Mickey's hacking skills to crack an international gang.
Choudhary is in fine (uni)form. But the very talented Varun Badola as Choudhary's assistant is a
scene stealer. Mouthing the film's catchiest lines casually, Badola brings more to his role than
what's written for the character. The rest of the supporting cast too gets into the mood of the
plot.
Undoubtedly Mickey Virus is Manish Paul's made-to-order vehicle. He casually invites us
into his suddenly-troubled world and then persuades us to cringe at the progressive crisis built
around Delhi's cyber stratosphere. The uniqueness of the plot works effectively in covering up
the loopholes and rather embarrassing coincidences that bridge various dramatic elements in the
plot. It does get far-flung. But the leaps are made without fractured bones.
Quirky, colourful, frenetic, agile and hectic Mickey Virus is a 'virtually' interesting
way for Manish Paul and his director Saurabh Varma to start their careers. This is an oddball of
a movie that tries to make sense of the senseless whirligig of urban internet-driven lifestyles.
What the 'hack'! Just go out there and have fun.
More Pages: Mickey Virus Box Office Collection , Mickey Virus Movie Review
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