Don’t take this turn

Aagey Se Right (A)
Director: Indrajit Nattoji
Cast: Shreyas Talpade, Kay Kay Menon, Vijay Maurya, Mahie Gill, Shehnaz Treasury
Rating: *

It's the second week in a row when six films release on the same Friday. Most of the films that were released last Friday have gone unseen owing to lack of marketing in some cases and bad content in others. Aagey Se Right is among those films that have been noticed, though.

UTV Spotboy, the film's producer, has an impressive record (Dev.D, Aamir, Oye Lucky Lucky Oye) and is well known to market their small films well. In addition, the Spotboy-Shreyas Talpade team came up with the wonderfully funny Welcome to Sajjanpur last year. Of course, that one had Shyam Benegal at the helm.

Aagey Se Right, directed by debutante Indrajit Nattoji instead, is a big disappointment. The plot may sound interesting on paper, but it is not so on execution. Talpade plays Dinkar Waghmare, a reluctant cop who has to be coaxed to go to work by his mother (Bharti Achrekar, loud as usual). She has put a Hanuman sticker on his gun; she believes the god will help him 'fight crime'. But bumbling buffoon that he is, Waghmare loses the weapon. The rest of the film centres on Waghmare trying to get his gun back, which lands him in some of the most unexpected of situations that make him an unlikely hero.

Running parallel to this story is that of a dreaded terrorist, played by Kay Kay Menon. He has come to Mumbai on a 'mission' and is aided by a South Indian goon, played by Vijay Maurya with a forced accent. Everything is going according to plan until Menon sees a singer (Shehnaz Treasury, without the wala in her name) performing, and falls in love with her. The dreaded terrorist is now a lovelorn shaayar and sacrifices jihad for pyaar. There is also the track of an unemployed youth (overacted by a newbie) in love with the police commissioner’s daughter.

What is the connection between these stories, you say? None actually, unless you consider that all the characters come together in a senseless climax. The acting is disappointing and writer-director Nattoji has treated the film like one of those sitcoms you see on Sab TV. After a point, you get so used to the irritatingly pointless comedy that you sit stone-faced waiting for the film to reach its end. That's if you are the patient kinds. Other may be compelled to leave midway.

Among the few moments that really crack you up is when Maurya tutors Menon how to patao a woman in Mumbai and the Urdu-tapori dialogues that follow. The rest of it is a pain though.

Take a right, left or any other detour from places that are playing Aagey Se Right.