BOLLYWOOD HOLLYWOOD MASALA

Rating: 2 out of 5*

Starring: Neil Nitin Mukesh, Bipasha Basu, Sophie Chaudhary and Rahul Dev

Director: Jehangir Surti

Ray (Neil) is a down on luck wildlife photographer. As things start going from bad to worse, he inherits his grandfather’s (Biswajeet) special camera which changes things overnight for him. The camera has the special ability to reveal the future through the photographs taken from it. Ray starts using it for his own materialistic benefits and starts enjoying life. He manages to get a girlfriend, Simi (Bipasha) who works as a DJ in a night club. But then his special gift becomes a threat for India’s enemies and the issue of national security looms large. Ray has to keep the camera safe from the evil forces headed by one Captain (Rahul Dev). How Ray handles it all and what shocking revelation he has to face during the climax forms the rest of the film.

The film’s ‘hatke’ plot works initially but falls flat post interval. The audience roots for Ray as he starts winning the horse races and lotteries thanks to his future seeing camera but then after his love angle and the issue of National Security gets mixed with the plot, the film drops pace and you lose interest. The post interval portions have been written without much imagination with convenient co-incidences coming up at regular intervals. There is a supposedly shocking revelation at the end but then it doesn’t achieve the desired effect as by the time the climax arrives your mind is totally out of the film. To give debutante director Jehangir Surti his due credit, it doesn’t appear like he is directing his debut film. He is technically brilliant and his shot taking is unique. Good aid also comes from cameraman Jehangir Chowdhury. Pritam’s peppy numbers work but the pub song between Neil and Bipasha appears unnecessary and slackens the pace further. Shyam Kaushal’s action is superb though, especially the stunt where Neil is thrown from the top of the terrace.

Neil is lovable as Ray but then the film doesn’t offer him much scope to perform. Bipasha looks hot and fits the part perfectly. Rahul Dev delivers in the negative role. Sophie barring the bikini show doesn’t get much chance to showcase her talent. Yesteryears actor Biswajeet in a small cameo is good.

The film tries to give you something new, but the lack of creative imagination while writing the screenplay, especially the second half, ends up making the film just about an average watch. Enter at your own risk.