






Producer: Shree Ashtavinayak Films
Director: Sanjay Gadhvi
Writer: Shibani Bathija
Stars: Sanjay Dutt, Imran Khan, Minissha Lamba
Rating: Three
Creative Quotient:
‘Dhoom’ maker Sanjay Gadhvi is back with his pet plot - the con game. But this time it's a vendetta saga with boy versus man theme where the kidnapper boy leads the man on a treasure hunt with clues galore.
The first clue is on a train that he must catch with in half an hour - zooming off in cars, racing past traffic jam, rushing ahead on a ferry boat and finally vrooming off on a motorbike - chasing after the train, Vikrant Raina (Dutt), the desperate father of kidnapped teen daughter Sonia (Lamba) prise away his first clue from a nun on the train.
The treasure hunt continues and the kidnapper emerges to be a tech savvy criminal. The chase continues through a series of clues planted in unlikely places as the highly guarded safety vault of a gambling den owner, in the jail et al. The plot is interesting but the writer Shibani Bathija isn't able to build the requisite drama either through screenplay or dialogues. The motive of the kidnapper doesn't come across as effectively as it ought to.
The entire narrative has a Dhoom hang over which is turning out to be director Sanjay Gadhvi's signature style - beach, bikini babe and the hi-tech conman with pure intent being the vital elements. Gadhvi's chase sequences are enjoyable yet again. And the climax has an intriguing twist.
Technical Expertise:
While the writer isn't able to provide the punch, editor Rameshwar S Bhagat isn't crisp with his cuts, the chase sequences go on endlessly slackening the pace of the narrative all the while. Of the players, Imran Khan has an endearing screen presence with his wide, expressive eyes and bushy eyebrows, the lad manages to pull it off as a kidnapper.
However fit she may be, Minissha simply miscast as sweet 17 about to turn 18! Ditto Vidya Malavade who plays her divorced mom! For strange reasons, Sanjay Dutt is out of sorts, his lack of interest shows up.
Trifle low on emotional front and musical score, the film scores in techincal departments with Bobby Singh's poetic frames, Guruji Brother's cool sets and Allan Amin's tantalising action sequences. A film that could have done with some real sizzle and dazzle.
Rating:
Of the three stars, one is certainly for Imran's innocent charm, another for the intermittent thrills and the final one for the overall technical finesse of the film.
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