The Indo-American Bhel

That is precisely what David Dhawan’s Partner is, an American recipe, cooked and served with dollops of Indian spices, a cocktail Bhel to be precise which needs to be served fresh, and consumed immediately, as it can’t be preserved/savoured for a long time.

For the modern Indian masses, used to the Caramel Popcorn and Cafeterias in the Multiplexes, Partner is a typical David Dhawan Masala which has an overdose of every spice. In an attempt to cater to the global tastes, our films are becoming more and more bland so to say. For our taste buds which now titillate to a mild Macaroni and Cheese, Govinda here functions like the excess chilly powder, which has been missing in the recent flicks. I am not saying that it is worth consuming, as the only thing that I was reminded of when I saw Govinda, was the squelch/muting circuit which I once studied for some assignment. It is evident that he is loud, unbearable and once the movie ends, absolutely forgettable. The film just reinforces the fact that a Govinda today is perhaps as anachronistic, as vodka would be in the era of the Ramayana.

Lara adds the sizzle to the recipe, and that’s about it. Katrina functions like the chopped tomatoes and coriander, which make the Bhel, look delicious. She garnishes the dish. Nothing notable about the technical details of the film, as the camera, sets everything is pretty, but plain simple ordinary. The kids have been misused, and after seeing this flick, I wondered if this is the same Ali Haji, who I loved in Ta Ra Rum Pum. Amongst others, it is wonderful to see Aarti Chhabria play the sidekick as she is tailor made only for such roles. Finally, I have neither energy, nor words to waste on Rajpal Yadav, his aides and the plots revolving around them. Their scenes do bring in some humour though.

The songs are enjoyable and should be served fresh, before they cool down, coz neither are they melodious, nor are they well written. They can thus just be the flavours of the season, typical David Dhawan style. In the final song, David Dhawan miserably fails to live his dream of doing something in typical Karan Johar style. Some things are better done, only by some people.

The inanity of the plot and the ridiculous job which the writers have done, reaches its pinnacle, when an absolute loser in life, played by Govinda insists on being an alumnus of one of India’s best and globally acknowledged Institute of Management, the IIM-A. How on earth did they even think of giving Govinda those lines, and how didn’t he think twice before mouthing those becomes the question of the millennium, coz the best that he can look is an overgrown dimwit who has a clean heart. I am particularly irked about this one, so won’t get into more details.

So is there no taste that lingers after eating this Bhel? Certainly not I must say, as the leading hunk of the film emerges as the saviour. Not only does Salman look great in the movie, but the strength with which he carries the film on his shoulders till the end, just shows that there is more to those muscles, which are displayed in every second frame. Also the idea of using the cartoons at the beginning to camouflage his age is very good. Barring his insecurities as a Star, which are expressed by way of spoofs on Shah Rukh and Amir, everything about Salman is just right in this film and if at 42 one can look this way, there nothing more that I can say…I’d rather hit the gym and pump some iron!