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

Jolly LLB' review: The film's not a bad way to spend the evening

Cast: Boman Irani, Arshad Warsi, Amrita Rao
Director: Subhash Kapoor
When a rich Delhi kid, accused of mowing down six pavement dwellers with his speeding car, is let off for lack of evidence, a small-time lawyer spots an opportunity and gets the case reopened.
Well-intentioned but inconsistent, 'Jolly LLB', directed by Subhash Kapoor, blends elements of a satire, a thriller, and a courtroom procedural in this intriguing story inspired by the events of the Sanjeev Nanda hit-and-run case of 1999. Kapoor makes some relevant points about society's apathy towards the poor, the loopholes in our judicial system, and the ease with which the rich often manipulate the truth. But he adopts an over-simplistic approach to the material that is often in conflict with this otherwise promising film.
Meerut-bred Jagdish Tyagi, or Jolly (Arshad Warsi), is only seeking some publicity when he stands up against legal heavyweight Tejinder Rajpal (Boman Irani) who is defending the accused. But his conscience is stirred by his fiancee (Amrita Rao), who eggs him on to fight for the truth. Rajpal, whose defense is built around a bunch of lies and a botched-up police investigation, resorts to everything from bribery to physical assault to scare off Jolly from pursuing the case.
Positioned as a David vs Goliath clash, the film benefits from some fiery courtroom exchanges between its two leads and Saurabh Shukla playing the seasoned judge. Director Subhash Kapoor tackles these scenes with just the right balance of humor and histrionics, but gets carried away by his tendency to pack in too much all at once. So the screenplay is overstuffed with unnecessary songs, a predictable scuffle in the court washroom, and an overlong satirical sequence in which a corrupt cop (Sanjay Mishra) openly auctions off a promotion in the police department to the highest bidder amongst a fleet of dishonorable officers.
There are many emotional moments in the film, but Kapoor occasionally teeters towards melodrama, wringing the 'feeling' right out of you. While a scene in which Jolly witnesses the plight of pavement dwellers first-hand is genuinely moving, other bits feel contrived and ring untrue. When the aged spindly bodyguard assigned to Jolly mans up in the hour of need, it's as if a lump was squeezed out of your throat! And predictably the manager of the court canteen (Ramesh Deo) who clears up a corner in his premises for Jolly to work out of becomes the catalyst for his awakening.
If the film isn't derailed despite these hiccups, it's largely on account of the three central performances that are easily its biggest strength. Arshad Warsi brings layers to Jolly, revealing a simmering frustration beneath that cheery exterior. Boman Irani is terrific as the smug Rajpal, permanently texting on his Blackberry, and very comfortable in the dread he inspires. But the surprise packet is Saurabh Shukla who doesn't once strike a wrong note as the wise ol' judge dutifully witnessing the circus before him each day, only losing his temper when he's mistaken for a fool. Shukla turns even the seemingly innocuous act of eating lunch into a riveting performance.
Its heart unquestionably in the right place, 'Jolly LLB' is very watchable, even if it does paint in broad strokes. I'm going with two-and-a-half out of five. Not a bad way to spend an evening.
Rating: 2.5/5