Nautanki Saala

Rating : 4/10
Release Date : 12th April, 2013
Time : 131 minutes
Director & Writer : Rohan Sippy, based on the French film, Apres Vous; Co-writers : Nipun Dharmadhikari, Charudutt Acharya; Music : Falak Shabir, Mike McCleary, Rashid Khan
Starring : Ayushmann Khurrana, Kunaal Roy Kapur, Pooja Salvi, Gaelyn Mandonca, Evelyn Sharma, Rufi Khan




This one stretches credulity and patience. Nice idea (borrowed from a French film), but no cigar.



Ayushmann, actor and director of a RavanLeela and a chronic do-gooder (it seems), saves Kunaal from committing suicide. And then, inexplicably takes over caring for him, ferrying him around at the risk of jeopardizing his relationship with his disapproving girlfriend, Gaelyn. Finding him a job, even at the risk of jeopardizing his own livelihood. Then even trying to get Kunaal’s failed relationship back on track, leading to unforseen consequences. All this while there is nothing that Kunaal brings to the party, everything is pretty one sided, which makes every additional help offered by Ayushmann even more bizarre.





There are some nice jokes (too far, too few) and some nice visuals (one of Gaelyn against a steaming kettle stands out in memory), but the overall pace of the film is slow, its so disjointed, jerky in its entirety that it makes for a rather painful watch. Ayushmann and Kunaal do the best they can, Evelyn as Sita stands out, while Gaelyn plays the angry girlfriend and Pooja the sentimental, mushy Bengali reasonably well.





It’s a remake of a French film, Apres Vous, which I haven’t seen, but am sure they managed to infuse it with a lot more charm, quirkiness than this, quite painful watch.