An ordinary script, lots of characters and very little to offer…
Cast: Om Puri, Shreyas Talpade, Paresh Rawal, Nana Patekar, Madhurima Banerjee
Director: Priyadarshan
Rating: 1 / 5
Producer-director-writer Priyadarshan follows a brilliant style of film making that has won him the National award. His approach to creating a visually appealing set-up through the film’s cinematography and smooth editing makes his films worth a watch. We definitely saw this in his thriller 'Bhool Bhulaiya' and his comedy 'Hera Pheri'.
But unlike those blockbusters, 'Kamaal Dhamaal Malamaal' is more like his other recent comedies starting from 'Hulchul' and moving on to 'De Dana Dan', 'Khatta Meetha' and 'Malamaal Weekly', the prequel to the film in question.
If you can overlook the outrageous fact that Nana Patekar aged 61 years, can play a macho-action man and Om Puri's son, who is also 61 years of age, then you're in for a family drama that fails to make you laugh. The film tells also manages to tell a positive story of a Catholic community in a village in North India in a simple, non-entertaining fashion.
The film takes you through the life of farmer David (Om Puri) who lives with his wife (Sona Nair), their two daughters and a lazy, jobless, ‘good-at-heart’ son Johnny (Shreyas Talpade). The story takes a turn when the family’s life is disrupted when a long-lost, messiah-like fellow, Sam/Kallu (Nana Patekar) re-enters their lives.
It is indeed commendable to see how Priyadarshan brings into play a small church-based village community's affinity to religion, courtship and domestic politics. Here is a village sustaining itself at the grassroots with spirited hilarity and little money to go by.
As the legendary hero we saw in 'Krantiveer' and 'Ab Tak Chhappan' Nana Patekar plays his role well with a limited script and the least dialogues in the film. Shreyas Talpade, the star in and as 'Iqbal' adds another to his list of bad-acting films after 'Joker'. In terms of a supporting cast, Asrani as the village priest, Paresh Rawal as the not so villainous bad-man, Madhurima Banerjee as the lady love, Shakti Kapoor as a village-nomad and Neeraj Vohra as the coffin-seller all do a thoroughly mediocre job at engaging the audiences interest.
When Shakti Kapoor and Paresh Rawal share screen space you are reminded of 'Andaaz Apna Apna' and all of crime master Gogo and Teja’s tactics. But what translates on screen space in 'Kamaal Dhamaal Malamaal' is far substandard from what is expected.
Music composers Sajid-Wajid fail to lift up this film. There is no song that clicks on the ear and no background score that entices.
Screenplay and dialogues by Neeraj Vohra are below average and often move from unwanted humour to sermonizing.
'Malaamal Weekly', took you through a journey of a money-trail and it was a far more accomplishing film.
With little to offer, a moralistic ending and an average plot-line, this sequel offers you a slow, limited story!