Mere Dad Ki Maruti' review: Not hard to like, don't expect much more

Cast: Ram Kapoor, Saqib Saleem, Rhea Chakraborty
Director: Ashima Chibber
Nicely juxtaposing such identifiable themes as a teenager's desperation to impress a pretty girl, and a boy's fear of his father's volcanic temper, against the backdrop of a big fat Punjabi wedding, debutant director Ashima Chibber delivers a harmless fluff of a film in 'Mere Dad Ki Maruti'.

Middle-class Chandigarh boy Sameer (Mujhse Fraandhsip Karoge's Saqib Saleem) sneaks away with the brand new Ertiga that his father (Ram Kapoor) has bought as a wedding gift for his brother-in-law-to-be. He steals the car to look good in the eyes of the college siren (Rhea Chakraborty), who's agreed to go to a party with him. But after an enjoyable night on the town when that spanking new set of wheels accidentally goes missing, he's petrified of facing his dad.
This wafer-thin plot notwithstanding, the film is enjoyable mostly for its frills. There's some nice chemistry between Sameer and his faithful buddy Gattu (Vir Das-lookalike Prabal Panjabi) who together make varied attempts to replace the missing car before Daddyji finds out. Their banter alone makes for some of the film's funniest moments.
Chibber roots the film in an earthy 'Punjabiness', her characters routinely engaging in loud, boisterous behavior, carping and swearing with as much passion as they drink and make merry. In the film's best scene, Sameer's sister breaks into a highly inappropriate dance at her own sangeet, shocking not only the guests but also her fiance and her brother who watch wide-eyed in horror, even as her mother cheers her on proudly.
Plot-wise, very little happens in the film's first half, and what happens post-intermission isn't particularly remarkable. From replacing the missing gaddi with a test-drive model from the showroom, to making a deal with a local car thief, then even renting one out from a family of aged men, the story is weak and never quite engaging. More than once you're consumed by pangs of boredom, and it takes the spirited performances of the two male protagonists to draw you into the film again.
The portly Ram Kapoor is splendid as Sameer's penny-pinching father who's always frothing at the mouth over his no-good son. Saqib Saleem is confident and uninhibited, and is blessed with superb comic timing, emerging an unlikely but charming hero.
At roughly one hour and forty minutes, the film never overstays its welcome, but if you don't understand Punjabi, it would be advisable to take along a friend who does.
I'm going with three out of five for 'Mere Dad Ki Maruti'. It's light and easy, and not hard to like. Just don't expect much more.
Rating: 3/5

Movie Review: Sahib, Biwi Aur Gangster Returns

The return of the Gangster is highly anticipated, Irrfan Khan as a new gangster in the movie is all set to take Saheb (Jimmy Shergill) and his Biwi (Mahie Gill) in his hook. Releasing on 08th March 2013 'Saheb Biwi aur Gangster Returns' will definitely make a good impact on its audience, it has a hero, a villain, romance and action which makes it a typical Hindi movie. Director Tigmanshu Dhulia again sticks with the ground and added two actors in the movie, Irrfan Khan and Soha Ali Khan. Tigmanshu Dhulia casted Soha as Irrfan Khan's girlfriend in the movie.
The action particularly in the movie is 'Ghamasaan', according to Irrfan Khan. Jimmy Shergill and Irrfan Khan have worked together previously in 'Hasil' directed by Tigmanshu Dhulia which was very well received by the Indian Audience.
Born on July 3rd, 1967 Allahabad, Tigmanshu is drawing a new line in Bollywood this year. As a Cancerian, he is both creative and spontaneous. He always goes for experiments and knows what the Indian audience loves watching on screen. 2013 will forge some new alliances for him that will bring him benefits in the long run. He just needs to be open to meeting new people and talking with his colleagues in depth. Tigmanshu may forge a friendship that turns into a helpful work ally.
Talking about Jasjit Singh Gill Alias Jimmy Shergill was born in a Sikh Jat family in Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh. Born on 3rd December 1970, the fiery Sagittarius (Jimmy) is best suited as (Saheb), playing a very demure lead role in the movie. Jimmy was quite off from Bollywood in 2012, but in 2013 there are chances that his career graph will rise up and this movie will prove an amazing Bollywood comeback for him.
Playing a second lead role, the villainous Irrfan Khan is always in the limelight for his acting skills. Sahabzade Irrfan Ali Khan known as Irrfan Khan was born on 7th January 1967 Jaipur Rajasthan. Being a Capricorn, Irrfan is always in search of showing something to his fans. Irrfan Khan favoured over his peers during this period; expect his career chart to rise dramatically. This is not a stroke of luck but hard work and determination on his part.
Rimpy Kaur Gill alias Mahie Gill is known as a new avatar of Tabu looks perfect against Irrfan khan in the flick. They both were seen together in Tigmanshu Dhulia's 'Pan Singh Tomar'. Her zodiac sign is the 'Sagittarius' and she was born on 19 December 1975 Chandigarh, India. 2013 is a great year for her to work as a team. Mahie will find that she can only take her projects so far on her own and she needs the support and assistance of her colleagues to get her to the next level. This helps to improve the quality of her work as well.
A new face in the flick Soha Ali khan is also playing a very decent and interesting role. Being a Libra, Soha is a fast learner and an easy going actress and with Tigmanshu Dhulia as a director makes things easy for her. Born on 4th October 1978 her strong drive for achievement will propel Soha to take calculated risks as she confronts small hurdles. The good thing is that her confidence will help her carry-on despite some setbacks. Even small failures will be a learning experience for her in 2013.

Overall, the film is based on feelings of rivalry and vendetta, with the India flavor written all over it, making this an undoubted hit. The planets are well aligned and their positive influence will surely make 'Saheb Biwi and Gangster returns' a memorable hit. From the business point of view the film will make enough money. And the chemistry of all actors in the film would be much loved by the viewers, and this would also keep the film on top.

Badmash Babi Shootout at Wadla Ft Priyanka Chopra

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