Date:08/04/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/04/08/stories/2007040801150200.htm

Karnataka - Bangalore

It takes four to make this film a flop

TOUGH CHANCE: Actors Bobby Deol, Celina Jaitley and Upen Patel at a promotion event for the film `Shakalaka Boom Boom'. — PTI

Shakalaka Boom Boom (Hindi)

Director: Suneel Darshan

Cast: Bobby Deol, Upen Patel, Celina Jaitely and Kangana Ranaut

AN UNABASHED celebration of temptation comes knocking this week with Suneel Darshan's Shakalaka Boom Boom. The characters live in ivory towers, the sort Bollywood specialises in. The apartments never seem to need a kitchen; there is time only for bed and candle lights.

Larger than life, floating in the never-seen-nor-experienced world. The guys and gals are all drunk on passion. But the only thing more revolting than a prolonged show of passion is a tepid one. No sizzle, all fizzle, Darshan's timeless story of an ace singer feeling threatened by an emerging one has little spark. Lesser substance.

Interested in the story? We have Bobby Deol with a tree trunk expression - if he carries on any longer, the environmentalist might want to preserve that! He plays the top singer who won't allow the upcoming Upen Patel any space. In the film, Bobby uses Upen to further his career. And one suspects he might just have got Upen roped in here for similar reasons: Upen is such a pathetic actor that he makes Bobby look good!

Add the lustreless Celina Jaitely, more desperate than ever before (read more skin than clothes) and Kangana Ranaut trying to find a toehold beyond the Mahesh Bhatt camp, and you have a film doomed from the time of casting.

Together, the four take on each other: men outwit each other; the girls take turns to hop into their bed without so much as a scruple. And in the bargain, the film goes for a toss.

The only time there is a spark is at the end when Bobby shows signs of Narcissus. And Upen does the same. But there is space only for one Narcissus in this world. So, we all know what happens at the end.

The script had potential but it needed better handling. The film needed a better director, a much better cast and much, much better music. And you, the cinemagoers, deserve a much better film. Sorry, but Darshan's Shakalaka Boom Boom just goes bust.

Ziya Us Salam