Film Review: 'Well Done Abba' is not so well done

Film: Well Done Abba!
Cast: Boman Irani, Minissha Lamba, Sameer Dattani, Sonali Kulkarni
Director: Shyam Benegal
Rating: «««
Corruption has made inroads into all spheres of life and Shyam Benegal focuses it in his film Well Done Abba!
Adapted from Narsaiyyan Ki Bavdi by Jeelani Bano, Phulwa Ka Pul by Sanjeev and Still Waters, a screenplay by Jayant Kripalani, Well
Done Abba! is a simple story about simple people.

It defies the stereotype and makes you smile without resorting to buffoonery. But the unwanted scenes, lethargic pace and wafer-thin storyline take away from the film what was created in its first hour.

Armaan Ali (Boman Irani), who works as a driver in Mumbai, goes on leave to find a match for his daughter (Minissha Lamba). When Armaan returns to work after three months, his employer wants to sack him. But Armaan tells him a humorous account of the events that delayed him.

Although the issue isn’t new and has been attempted in various movies, the interesting characters and the way the story moves make the effort watchable. The writing goes haywire after the interval and the story loses its sheen. Shantanu Moitra’s music is decent. Boman Irani is incredible and Minissha takes you by surprise. Samir Dattani shows his talent without going overboard.

Well Done Abba! has some wonderful moments, but they’re few and far between.