AVASH KARMACHARYA
Director Rohan Sippy, son of veteran producer, director Ramesh Sippy is not just good about making peppy fun-to-watch films like Kuch Naa Kaho and Bluffmaster. In his recent directorial, Dum Maaro Dum, he definitely proves that his collars consists of more than just masala fillings.
Dum Maaro Dum, depicts a hard hitting punch on the face of the other side of reality in one of the most happening places in the world – Goa. Producer father and director son welcome you to Goa and unveil a picture , that is neither beautiful nor found in most Bollywood cinemas.
It was two decades ago, when filmmaker Pankaj Parasher, portrayed Goa as a drug-busting hotspot in his film Jalwa. Director Rohan Sippy deals with a similar plot once again, but with a tight screenplay, power-backed dialogues and intense characters.
Each character in the film is a “hero” in their own discipline. You can’t take your eyes off the screen even when you realize that each character is self-destructive and they live up to their roles until the very end.
Lorry (Prateik Babbar) along with his girlfriend gains admission to a University in the USA but unfortunately doesn’t get the scholarships to fulfill his dream. It’s a matter of 15, 000 USD for which he is set aback while his girlfriend leaves for America. In pursuit of earning that 15, 000 US dollars and avoid the loneliness of being in a long-distance relationship, he undertakes the risky business of flying drugs to the US. Ricky, Lorry’s friend and a local drug dealer gets him involved into the crime. Although innocent he gets caught in the act.
Biscuit (Aditya Pancholi) is the king of drug dealing in Goa while Zoe (Bipasa Basu) is his girlfriend, more of a mistress and a partner in crime. DJ Joki (Rana Dagubati) is Zoe’s ex-boy friend who wants to protect Lorry and tries to get him out of trouble.
ACP Vishnu Kamath (Abhisekh Bachchan) is a once corrupt cop, who took in a lot of bribe to fulfill his family’s desire. But after the death of his wife (Vidya Balan) and son in a road accident, he decides change himself and works towards eradicating all drug mafias from Goa.
Goa is the final character in the film, divided into four parts – Drug society led by the Russians, Nigerians, British and the local mafias.
The film is certainly not the ride of the prudish. For the rest, violence takes the proceedings.
In many ironic ways, Dum Maaro Dum celebrates the loss of virtue that ends up haunting the beaches of various touristic destinations through the lenses of Goa. About the plot, it proceeds at an alarming fast pace, leaving the viewers wanting to see more of the developing relationship between the characters. If only ACP Kamath’s growing bond towards the world around him could have been elaborated, things would have been justified a bit more. Likewise, Zoe’s longing for her innocence, while being fully engulfed by alcohol and drugs is highly touching. But before, you long to know more about her, the character is not present for further explanations.
Other characters are equally of intense gravity – the pain lashed minor boy, Lorry who gets arrested at the airport for carrying drugs and loses faith in himself, DJ Joki who loses his love to crime, and Biscuit, who gives up everything to stay as the emperor of drug dealings until his death one fine day due to depression and overdose. All the characters are a mystery within themselves, while being constantly active on screen.
Abhisekh Bachchan certainly is the show stealer in the movie. He not just looks tough in the film; his character is of great potential. His dialogue delivery is neat and lives up to most of the expressions and gestures. For his role, Abhisekh instills a kind of a flexible laconism that makes the anguish of the cop remarkably free of self blameworthy.
The only thing that sets you back is while listen to RD Burman’s classic hit number “Dum Maaro Dum” remixed badly by a promising musician of Bollywood – Pritam Chakroborty.
Starring: Abhisekh Bachchan, Aditya Pancholi, Prateik Babbar, Rana Dagubati, Bipasha Basu, Govind Namdeo, Monty Munford, Vidya Balan (Special Appearance) and Deepika Padukone (Special Appearance).
Directed by: Rohan Sippy, Produced by: Ramesh Sippy, Story by: Shridhar Raghvan
Genre: Action Thriller