The After Hrs review: 'Kismet Love Paisa Dilli'

Fim: Kismet Love Paisa Dilli (KLPD)Cast: Vivek Oberoi, Mallika Sherawat, Ashutosh Rating:**When the guy who regaled us with an innovative and entertaining debut makes his second film, we rush to see it in the hope that there will be one more pleasant surprise awaiting us. But, we soon realise that Sanjay Khanduri has just rehashed his earlier formula. Kismet Love Paisa Dilli (KLPD) suffers from the Ek Chaalis Ki Last Local hangover. Just like its predecessor, it chronicles one night in the life of the protagonists who happen to miss the last train home.Khanduri’s Delhi, just like his Mumbai, is inhabited by corrupt politicians, depraved men who have sex on their minds and a femme fatale. There are bags full of currency notes changing hands, and even a scene where Vivek is gagged and tied by a bunch of homosexual men waiting to rape him. Ring a bell?! And Neha Dhupia makes an appearance too, just in case you forgot she played the temptress in the earlier film. Of course, there are a few never-seen-before scenes in this one — close-up shots of Vivek’s crotch before he unzips and urinates in glasses of alcoholic beverages, on public walls and even on people’s heads! He even gets to wear boxer shorts with an image of a raging bull in front and the words “khula saand” at the back.Then there is Ashutosh Rana as the trigger-happy goon with his rag-tag gang. These thugs are out to make a quick buck but will settle for raping a woman when there is nothing else to do. A character called Rohit Pichwadiya — a gay fashion designer in case you didn’t get the innuendo — and Neha as a lady cop called Aarti Utaroon who asks nonchalantly, “Utaroon kya?” Get the drift?We are repeatedly told that any woman walking alone on the streets of Delhi  is asking to be raped. And to hammer home the point, salivating men are shown harassing, kidnapping and molesting Mallika. Vivek’s character believes only women get raped and men who want to sleep with other men are just rich, spoilt brats. Need we say more?      Verdict: Don’t hit, only miss!     Directed by Sanjay Khanduri