Review: 'Action Replayy' is mindless but entertaining

Film: Action Replayy (U)

Cast: Akshay Kumar, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Rannvijay Singh, Kirron Kher, Om Puri, Aditya Roy Kapoor, Randhir Kapoor

Director: Vipul Shah

Rating: ***

 

"Aawaz neeche!" orders our preening, young Kishen/Kitchen Kumar (Kumar), a sign of his changing personality thanks to his young son Bunty (Roy Kapoor). Bunty is Kishen’s date guru, reaching out to his father even while he pursues mother Mala (Rai Bachchan). Sounds like Greek to you?

 

Yes, that’s the story of this mad family. Kishen and Mala are the perfect not-made-for-each-other couple. Kumar is a simpleton, non-classy and clumsy, while Mala is the stone-hearted diva, always engrossed in super-expensive shopping sprees, not to mention the constant bickering.

 

Sandwiched between the parents is son Bunty, who has been forced to belittle the institution of marriage because of his parents. He sure loves his parents a lot and wants an end to their feuds. He refuses to marry girlfriend Tanya fearing they will end up like his parents once they are married.

 

Tanya wants Bunty to meet her grandfather (Kapoor), an Einstein-like crazy scientist who has created a time-travel machine. “Agar tum apna past dekh sakte ho toh tum tumhara past badal bhi sakte ho,” he says. Desperate to see his parents happy, Bunty travels back in time with a mission to make his parents fall in love, hoping the effect will transcend to the present, too.

 

Cut to the Bombay of 1975. Dad Kishen is timid and in bad shape, Mum Mala is a bully, paternal grandfather Rai Bahadur (Puri) and maternal grandmother Bholi Devi (Kher) are ready to slit each other’s throats.

 

Bunty has a Herculean task at hand. But it’s Bollywood and you know it’s all going to be hunky-dory eventually!

 

Based on a Gujarati play, the film’s storyline and script may not be its strongest suits, but director Vipul Amritalal Shah’s treatment of Action Replayy may work with the audiences, especially with Akshay Kumar fans.

 

The film gives you its share of comic relief but the humour is quite dry, so to say. It works well only because of Akshay Kumar and his superb comic timing, while Roy Kapoor’s charm does make an impression. Rai overacts, but that’s forgivable given the nature of her character. You wish veterans Puri and Kher had a little more screen time, as they light up the few scenes we see them in. The colours and bling are blinding, it’s the 1970s Bollywood we are getting used to seeing once again, first in Farah Khan’s Om Shanti Om and then in Milan Luthria’s Once Upon a Time in Mumbaai.

 

The score by Pritam is mediocre with one song even reminding you of Dhoom 2’stheme song. ‘Zor Ka Jhatka’ is delightful and ‘O Bekhabar’ stays with you.

 

Action Replayy is an illogical, out-an-out no-brainer you can watch this Diwali weekend. It may not leave you in splits, but it sure does have the power to put that smile on your face.