Cast: Vinay Pathak, Neha Dhupia, Rajat Kapoor, Sanjay Mishra, Naseeruddin Shah
Director: Saurabh Shukla
Ratings: 0.5/5
Forced Attempt. Failed. Result: Absolute Absurdity.
By Priyanka Ketkar
Yes, I am sick & tired of Vinay Pathak and his antiques and No, my review is not going to be an attack on him per se but now I can't help much if he keeps doing movies which end up giving the audience a severe headache. Bheja Fry 2, Chalo Dilli, Tere Mere Phere, Jo Dooba So Paar and now Pappu Can't Dance Saala... It seems that comedy genre and the filmmakers' sense of humour is suffering a decline from what it was a long, long time ago. Pappu Can't Dance Saala directed by Saurabh Shukla is a completely stretched, absurd half attempt at making a film.
The story revolves around Vidyadhar Acharya (Vinay Pathak), a "common man" who preaches about right and wrong and is proud of his "culture", "values" and of his being an "Indian". This Banarasi Babu comes to Mumbai after securing a good job at a private firm but stays at the Sales Tax Colony in Andheri (resulting him in running up & down and hiding, each time there is government vigilance). He soon gets a neighbour in the form of Mehak Malavde (Bollywood suddenly seems to have a new-found obsession with "Maharashtrian" names) played by Neha Dhupia. She is the "akeli ladki, sheher mein kuch banne ke liye aayi hai" and wants to make it big in the biggest industry in Mumbai- the film industry. Both of them fight, irritate each other, so much that once she gets evicted from her house, she lands up at Vidyadhar's house and makes it her own (that is just ridiculous). Both fight to death, suddenly start making breakfast for each other (after all "ek hi ghar mein rehena hai"), become each others' support system and finally, obviously, fall in love with each other (thankfully they haven't shown them kiss).
Calling the movie horrible would be an understatement. Talented people like Neha Dhupia and Vinay Pathak are completely wasted. Vinay Pathak is the same old "himself" but Neha Dhupia is really very good. The rest of the cast is unnoticeable and though Rajat Kapoor's look is good but his character is a complete turn-off. The movie is so forced, everything right from Mehak's calling Vidyadhar "Pappu" only because it's in the title, to her saying just once in the entire movie "Pappu tujhe bilkul naachne nahi aata" (Pappu you can't dance at all), everything has been included in the movie only so that they can relate it to the title. There is no story as such, Pappu doesn't have two left feet, the dialogues are ludicrous and some scenes are just unnecessary and offensive (e.g.: the part where Pappu buys sanitary napkins for his irritating neighbour 'coz she is not feeling well).
All in all, the movie is simply bad and it has been rated only for the sake of Neha Dhupia.Pappu Can't Dance Saala is nothing but an insult to the super-hit song Pappu Can't Dance Saala from Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na...