Pappu Can't Dance SaalaMore Pics
Director: Saurabh Shukla
Cast: Vinay Pathak, Neha Dhupia
Several Vinay Pathak films have used the basic premise of cross-connected chemistry between him and his costar (divided by social or economical status) resulting into some eventful proceedings (Bheja Fry series, Chalo Dilli).Pappu Can't Dance Saala is amusing as long as it exploits that kinda camaraderie between Vinay Pathak and Neha Dhupia. But beyond that when it strays into entirely different terrain, the movie loses its audience.
Vidyadhar (Vinay Pathak) works in a private company but lives (as an illegal tenant) in a government colony in Mumbai. Mehek Malvade (Neha Dhupia) who works as a backup dancer in films shifts next doors. She is anything but the girl-next-door and her cheeky conduct initiates enmity with her neighbour. When a vigilance raid renders her homeless, Mehek moves in Vidyadhar's apartment, much against his wish.
As their initial hostility is replaced by a friendly bond, they come close. But the ambitious Mehek is besotted by glamour world and will stop at nothing to make her starry dreams come true.
Writer-director Saurabh Shukla starts the film on a promising note and though it never gets outrageously funny (like one expects it to be), it doesn't bore you either. The pace is slow and the tempo keeps dropping every now and then. The Bambaiyya v/s Banarasi attitude of brawl between Vinay Pathak and Neha Dhupia defines their cross-connected chemistry here. The tone of humour is inconsistent ranging from some hilarious moments to some plain passable ones. But beyond humour, the film focuses more on the heartwarming bond that it subtly develops between its odd pair.
But as Mehek's journey to reach the stars takes over, the film loses focus. Going on a completely different tangent, it highlights the turmoil of a struggling actress and how her family disapproves of filmdom. Furthermore it distances her from love. Disillusioned in the city of dreams, Vidyadhar moves back to his hometown and the film attempts to give an insight on the urban-rural divide. Until Naseeruddin Shah (reprising a role immortalized by Anupam Kher inBollywood) persuades his son to seek true love. And just when you presume that a seemingly lecherous producer (Rajat Kapoor) would make a pass at Mehek, he plays agony uncle guiding her to true love.
Finally when the end credits roll in a film-studio, showcasing the behind-the-scene existence of the movie industry, one wonders why the film needlessly treads into Zoya Akhtar's Luck By Chance zone. What was the central plot after all? The murky side of movie world? Despair in city of dreams? What point did the film attempt to make after wandering off into so many offshoots, when we were always under the impression that it was a minimal tale of mismatched romance?
The performances are perfect. Vinay Pathak doesn't fall prey of overdoing his underplaying act and is poised in his character. Neha Dhupia completely justifies her meaty role with an audacious act. Rajat Kapoor is restrained as usual in his small bit. Naseeruddin Shah gets a cliched character. Brijendra Kala and Sanjay Mishra lend decent support.
The film ends with an off-track moral to the story - to accept a person without expecting them to change. But it's difficult to accept this partially engaging film, unconditionally! On that note thispappu doesn't pass muster. Alas pappu fail ho gaya!
Cast: Vinay Pathak, Neha Dhupia
Several Vinay Pathak films have used the basic premise of cross-connected chemistry between him and his costar (divided by social or economical status) resulting into some eventful proceedings (Bheja Fry series, Chalo Dilli).Pappu Can't Dance Saala is amusing as long as it exploits that kinda camaraderie between Vinay Pathak and Neha Dhupia. But beyond that when it strays into entirely different terrain, the movie loses its audience.
Vidyadhar (Vinay Pathak) works in a private company but lives (as an illegal tenant) in a government colony in Mumbai. Mehek Malvade (Neha Dhupia) who works as a backup dancer in films shifts next doors. She is anything but the girl-next-door and her cheeky conduct initiates enmity with her neighbour. When a vigilance raid renders her homeless, Mehek moves in Vidyadhar's apartment, much against his wish.
As their initial hostility is replaced by a friendly bond, they come close. But the ambitious Mehek is besotted by glamour world and will stop at nothing to make her starry dreams come true.
Writer-director Saurabh Shukla starts the film on a promising note and though it never gets outrageously funny (like one expects it to be), it doesn't bore you either. The pace is slow and the tempo keeps dropping every now and then. The Bambaiyya v/s Banarasi attitude of brawl between Vinay Pathak and Neha Dhupia defines their cross-connected chemistry here. The tone of humour is inconsistent ranging from some hilarious moments to some plain passable ones. But beyond humour, the film focuses more on the heartwarming bond that it subtly develops between its odd pair.
But as Mehek's journey to reach the stars takes over, the film loses focus. Going on a completely different tangent, it highlights the turmoil of a struggling actress and how her family disapproves of filmdom. Furthermore it distances her from love. Disillusioned in the city of dreams, Vidyadhar moves back to his hometown and the film attempts to give an insight on the urban-rural divide. Until Naseeruddin Shah (reprising a role immortalized by Anupam Kher inBollywood) persuades his son to seek true love. And just when you presume that a seemingly lecherous producer (Rajat Kapoor) would make a pass at Mehek, he plays agony uncle guiding her to true love.
Finally when the end credits roll in a film-studio, showcasing the behind-the-scene existence of the movie industry, one wonders why the film needlessly treads into Zoya Akhtar's Luck By Chance zone. What was the central plot after all? The murky side of movie world? Despair in city of dreams? What point did the film attempt to make after wandering off into so many offshoots, when we were always under the impression that it was a minimal tale of mismatched romance?
The performances are perfect. Vinay Pathak doesn't fall prey of overdoing his underplaying act and is poised in his character. Neha Dhupia completely justifies her meaty role with an audacious act. Rajat Kapoor is restrained as usual in his small bit. Naseeruddin Shah gets a cliched character. Brijendra Kala and Sanjay Mishra lend decent support.
The film ends with an off-track moral to the story - to accept a person without expecting them to change. But it's difficult to accept this partially engaging film, unconditionally! On that note thispappu doesn't pass muster. Alas pappu fail ho gaya!
year of ladies seems like... Vidya Balan in Dirty Pictures and Neha Dhupia in PCDS have now set the bar very high for any other Indian commercial actress.... After munni, Neha Dhupia proved that she has came a very long way...
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