Review: 'Fatso'

Film: Fatso
Director: Rajat Kapoor
Cast: Ranvir Shorey, Gul Panag, Purab Kohli, Neil Bhoopalam, Gunjan Bakshi, Brijendra Kala
Rating: **

Life’s one long New Year party for five friends: Navin (Purab Kohli), Nandini (Gul Panag), Yash (Neil Bhoopalam), Tanuja (Gunjan Bakshi) and Sudeep (Ranvir Shorey). We never find out what they do for a living, that’s why.

Navin is madly in love with Nandini, one thing we’re told in at least 20 different ways. Yash is in a relationship with Tanuja but not ready to propose marriage. The sore thumb is Sudeep, a generously proportioned artist, always sticking out with a plate full of pasta or dessert.

When the boys meet with an accident, a Ministry of Death Affairs (yes, you read that right) volunteer Vijay (Brijendra Kala) mistakenly takes away Navin. Life and death are only an elevator ride away and it is at the Ministry that Navin learns of the volunteer’s blunder. It’s here the film takes a turn for hilarious territory. Sadly, the fun is short-lived. All the humour in this Rajat Kapoor-directed comedy is what you’ve already seen in the trailer.

His characters make it a special ride. Fatso Shorey is likeable, but you wish they hadn’t given into the temptation of portraying him as the stereotypical hogger (how many of you don’t know of at least one thin person who eats like there’s no tomorrow and never gains any weight? Yeah) Kohli and Panag’s characters are way too mushy for comfort, but a delight to watch as the chemistry is crackling.

After Shaitan, Bhoopalam is seen in Fatso, in a much calmer and less charged environment. He delivers so there’s nothing to moan about. Bakshi is passable. The show stealer is Kala, effortlessly funny thanks to his matter-of-factly style of dialogue delivery. Most of the chuckling you’ll do are when Kala and his Ministry of Death colleagues are on screen.

Where Kapoor’s characters are relatable and the idea of poking fun at life after death is intriguing, it falls sorely short of being explored to its full potential. In one scene a dead man says there’s nothing called heaven and hell, yeh sirf logo ko bewakoof banana ke liye kehte hai. Kapoor’s attempt is a lot like that, after that promising trailer.

Fatso is a romantic comedy with lots of romance and only sporadic comedy. Not exactly the best bet to throw your weight behind this weekend.