It's all about a handshake with the world's most powerful man at the time u2013US President, George W Bush.
WHAT'S IT ABOUT: It's all about a handshake with the world's most powerful man at the time u2013US President, George W Bush. Six 'young Indians' vie for the honour via a talent hunt organised by a two-woman PR firm hired by the US Ambassador to India. The winner gets to get up, close and personal with Dubya himself.
It's not that simple really. Over the course of a day and a night, six Indians are made to feel like lesser citizensu00a0 in their own land to get closer to man that represents everything they want to be. Question really is: Is it really survival of the fittest or simply the shrewdest?u00a0
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WHAT'S HOT: The very witty Anuvab Pal creates memorable characters. The broker-manic/ risk-loving investor, Kapil Dev (Anand Tiwari; remember the 'agar aap vote nahi kar rahein hain to aap so rahein hain' ad?) is a winner from the word go as is Satchit Puranik's foul-mouthed social activist / son of the soil / wannabe farmer.
Konkona Sen was obviously brought on to bring Bollywood into the equation and is far too easily overshadowed by the very talented Shernaz Patel (who plays an incorrigible kleptomaniac called Samantha) and her doormat of a sidekick called Ritu (Shivani Tanksale).
While the casting is spot-on, the film gets too caught up in its own mirth, to realize that it is slowly losing its hold on you. The thankful part is that the characters u2013 undeniably real u2013 stay with you even after you're off the multiplex premises.
Rohan Sippy's blink-and-you miss-him cameo was a nice touch. Also, the rat race animation was quite cool. It's a promising debut for Kunaal Roy Kapur that's ably supported by strong performances.
WHAT'S NOT: A mockumentary like this one demands crisper editing. It's not easy to keep people laughing for all of two hours. And there are a few letdowns in that respect.u00a0
Ira Dubey's papa-please-preach act grates on the nerves after a while as does Vivek Gomber's more-American-than-thou tirade.
The tasks (shamelessly admitted to having been inspired by Survivor and Bigg Boss) are random and supposedly meant to filter out how hollow you can get for than one handshake.
The film's biting satire is lost somewhere in the boundless action that's essentially the hallmark of a play, the film's real inspiration.
WHAT'S THAT! There are rude, offensive, sexist, even racist remarks passed with an air of innocence. One of the contestants is even disqualified for being gay. Is this what it takes to be American or to love Americana?
WHAT TO DO: The film's makes you laugh at all the right places, it's entertainingu2026 so what if it's a tad bit long and you have that overbearing feeling that you're watching a play. Go catch it!
The President Is Coming
***
Dir: Kunaal Roy Kapur
Cast: Konkona Sen Sharma, Shernaz Patel, Ira Dubey, Satchit Puranik
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