Dir: Rohan Sippy Cast: Abhishek Bachchan, Rana Daggubati, Bipasha Basu, Prateik, Aditya Panscholi
Dum Maaro Dum
A; Drama/Action/Thriller
Dir: Rohan Sippy
Cast: Abhishek Bachchan, Rana Daggubati, Bipasha Basu, Prateik, Aditya Panscholi
Rating: ***
Goa-ing high! Abhishek Bachchan, Rana Daggubati and Bipasha Basu
play shoot-em'up in Dum Maaro Dum
What's it about: Set a movie against the backdrop of India's very own paradise on earth and you know you're in for a visual treat. Filmmakers shoot songs, weave thrillers or showcase the colourful community of the region through their work. But Rohan Sippy has other plans -- he wants to have fun! Without wasting any time he cuts to the chase and opens DMD with a bang. Catholic boy Lorry (Pratik) wants to settle down with his girlfriend. Fate dictates otherwise when she moves to the US to pursue further studies. Unable to fund his fees, he finds solace in the arms of a friend who introduces him to the otherside of jannat. A mule in the hands ofu00a0 players, Lorry is caught smuggling drugs. This one event snowballs into something much bigger. ACP Vishnu Kamath (Abhishek) and team is brought i n to detox the state. Easier said than done. There's a druglord (Panscholi), a good guy (Rana) and his estranged girlfriend who get into the fray. There's plenty of action to give you a head-rush and enough cheesy yet original one-liners to keep you entertained.
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What's hot: Rohan doesn't have to try too hard. He stays in his comfort zone and does what he's good at -- delivering a tight-paced thriller with somewhat over-the-top yet entertaining moments. Every scene has a Rohan Sippy stamp -- right from the lighting to the camerawork. There's a distinct uniform appeal that stays till the very end. Apart from the absolutely brilliant work by director of photography Amit Roy, the research team has managed to get an accurate pulse of Goa. Those familiar with the place will have moments of d ufffdj vu, while those who haven't, would want to go visit. I really didn't get the hoopla over the tourist spots being shown in bad light. Performances are remarkably restrained. Abhi'su00a0 Kamath is extremely animated yet super composed at the same time. He breaks into a smile at the gloomiest moments while narrates a personal tragedy when least expected. Bachchan has succeeded in making Kamath a fun cop to watch. Prateik's 17-year-old boy act surprises you. His face has the right blend of vulnerability and impishness. His scenes in the jail and remand home will stay with you till the end. Rana's B-Town debut won't go unnoticed. The tall, lean-framed actor towers over his co-stars (except Abhishek) not just in height but in terms of bringing out the right emotions. The DMD title track is rightly placed just before the climax. The TV promos do no justice to the effect the song has visually and in its entirety. Te Amo is also another tastefully shot number that stays with you.
What's not: A common grouse -- the film's length -- plays villain to an extent. Rohan gets over-indulgent with his story refusing to let go. The last 15 minutes wash out the climax's effect. Instead of stretching the plot beyond necessity, the film should have ended much earlier. Bipasha doesn't bring anything new to the table -- she's been there-done that playing a long- legged sassy airhostess who suffers personal tragedy. We understand the use of colloquial dialogues to bring in the local flavour, but the word susegaad is squeezed till dry. The Rana-Bipasha romantic track works only to a point, then it becomes a mere excuse to break into song. Also, there is a lack of cohesiveness to the screenplay which works in its favour initially, but soon becomes a major distraction.
What to do: DMD is like a maze, you never know where you might end up. Even though there's a chance of getting lost, the journey is definitely worth its price.