36 China Town
Starring:Kareena Kapoor, Shahid Kapoor, Akshaye Khanna, Isha Koppikar, Johnny Lever, Paresh Rawal
Director: Abbas Alibhai Burmawalla
This week's new release 36 China Town is the tale of one murder and many suspects. In a sprawling haveli in Goa, millionairess Isha Koppikar is mysteriously murdered one night, and when investigating officer Akshaye Khanna begins looking around, he discovers that at least six people were at the scene of crime that night at some point or the other, for some reason or the other. Almost everyone has an alibi, but obviously someone's lying.
Director duo Abbas Mustan are regarded as masters of the thriller formula. To be honest, they have delivered a string of hits in this genre -- you know, Khiladi, Baazigar, Soldier, Ajnabee, Humraaz. But then let's not forget to add that most of these films were inspired and often generously plagarised from Hollywood originals.
Nevertheless, over the years Abbas-Mustan seem to have arrived at a blueprint to Bollywood-ify these Hollywood films -- you know, add a hit item song or two, throw in a scantily clad actress, bring in Johnny Lever for some slapstick humour, add lots of tension, and then the big action climax.
This formula seems to have worked for them on most occasions. But it doesn't work this time round in 36 China Town and there's only one reason for it - the plot stinks. Now they've taken the oldest story in the world - a whodunnit. So at least you'd expect that the screenplay would be pacy and original. But none of that. On the contrary, it's a loose-ended screenplay which is full of holes. There is no just use of basic logic, and guys, where is the tension, where is the suspense? This is more a comedy, than a thriller if you ask me.
Now tell me one thing, when you're watching a thriller film or a suspense drama, what's the one thing that's going on in your mind? I think you'll agree with me when I say that one is constantly trying to predict the ending, one's constantly trying to guess who the killer is.
You're looking for clues and you're looking for hints, and you're looking for just about anything that you can find to help you figure out the big suspense, correct?
Filmmakers are aware of that, and that's why they're careful to give away only those hints that they want to, only those clues that won't completely dilute their climax.
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But the problem with 36 China Town is that it's the most careless piece of writing. Abbas-Mustan make the most amateurish mistakes and take a whole bunch of creative liberties that do no justice to some of the truly entertaining and thrilling films that they've made in the past.
Another thing that I have to point out is the kind of comedy that we see in some of the movies these days, and Abbas-Mustan are as guilty as anyone to indulge in that kind of humour. Johnny Lever's been the staple comic ingredient in most of their films, and the problem with Johnny Lever most times is that he's way too loud. In 36 China Town, they've tripled the comic quotient -- you have Johnny Lever, you have Paresh Rawal and you have Vivek Shauq.
You would think three different comic actors would bring three different comic styles. But forget it -- it's still the same slapstick, loud, often regressive humour with those typical jokes about dominating wives and henpecked husbands. And did we really need that shot of Paresh Rawal in his swimming briefs? It's an image I don't want to speak too much about, but let's just say it's an image we could have lived without.
Of the film's cast, it's only Shahid Kapur who makes a visible effort to infuse his character and his performance with some enthusiasm, so naturally he's the only one who comes off looking sincere. And if you're wondering about model Upen Patel who makes his debut in this film as a Casanova, then well, what can I say, he looks fine, but they've dubbed his voice -- and that's probably not a bad thing -- but the role's too inconsequential to tell if he has any lasting power as an actor.
In the end, 36 China Town is not entirely unwatchable because the film's directors Abbas-Mustan make sure the film looks good and the music's engaging and the whole packaging is in place. But they fail in pulling off their most basic responsibility -- in telling an interesting story. So then Abbas-Mustan's 36 China Town is a film that's as indigestible as stale popcorn.
Rating: 2 / 5 (Average)
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