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Careless Love

Sidestepping a more extreme take on prostitution, this is a quietly impressive portrait of a young woman caught in a tragic situation.

Empire Of Silver

Its backdrop is a rich and fascinating one, but the film is let down by a screenplay and direction that fails to register on a personal level.

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Action Replayy (Film)

by Mamta Bhatt | November 08, 2010 14:03 | Edited November 08, 2010 14:05

While there’s gaping holes in the plot, this is perfect light entertainment boosted by the charismatic performances of the two leads.

Vaguely resembling Back To The Future, Action Replayy is an illogically fun ride about time travel through 1970s Mumbai. A young boy, Bunty (Roy Kapoor), is disillusioned in love and marriage after watching his parents, Mala (Rai Bachchan) and Kishen's (Kumar), passionless relationship wilt over the years. However, after a heated argument leaves his family on the brink of separation, Bunty takes it upon himself to reverse the outcome.  

 

Enter a professor with a glowing time machine (no explanation of the time space continuum, but) with a red button that will soundly transport Bunty back to the 1970s to rectify his parents' marriage woes. Unfortunately, as Bunty soon finds out, making his ungroomed, awkward dad and his shameless, street tough mother fall in love is no easy task to undertake.

 

Absurdity aside, Action Replayy is a light hearted entertainer that succeeds in its aim, to entertain - and thoroughly at that. The film encompasses all the ingredients that make a true, traditional Bollywood flick - colour, vibrancy, humour, action, hilltop dancing and singing - without ever compromising its modern validity. Despite dodgy special effects, the 1970s era is beautifully depicted through fantastic costumes, set pieces, choreography and music.

 

Aside from being aesthetically pleasing, and overlooking the gaping holes in the plot (non-existent explanations and convenient conclusions about time travel), the writing is brilliant, with hilarious scenarios, dialogue and characterisations. Though most characters flit in and out of the scenes with no real consequence, each leaves their mark, and paves the way for the exemplary characterisation of the leads, Kumar and Rai Bachchan. While Kumar is adept in comedy roles, and his character here doesn't require him to strenuously break from his regular antics, he brings a charm to the character that makes it fresh. Rai Bachchan springs a surprise as she deftly handles her melodramatic character with restraint, while looking flawless throughout. Their bickering is never over-the-top, and their charisma oozes off the screen.

 

Yes, time travel is ridiculous. Yes, explanations and resolutions are shallow. Yes, changing such a huge event in the past would rupture the future in ways not even touched upon in Action Replayy. And yes, it's so darn funny, that it's hard to care.