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Thursday, April 25, 2024
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BOLLYWOOD CROOK: ITS GOOD TO BE BAD
EDITOR'S PICK
Rating: **
Damn! Why didn`t we think of sending the amazing super-hero Emran Hashmi to
Australia before? Emran Saab`s solution to global malevolence as provided in
this disappointing mismash of masala and headlines is simple enough.
It`s good to be bad. So says the smooth-sayer. Fair enough. If only the director
had not decided to apply the motto to the treatment of this film.
At last our revenge on the Aussie attacks. This film is the ultimate comeuppance
for the Australians… those so-and-sos who have been maltreating our hapless
students who go to the firangi land to garner education and come back black and
blue.
Blue is the colour that director Mohit Suri favours for his lurid leery look at
gori babes in Melbourne. There`s a gori chick and a brown chick for the
Chick-let hero to chose from. He sleeps with the former and falls in love with
the latter. As simple as that. Indian women are to revered. Foreigners are to
be… you know!
In trying to do a ferocious flag-waving trick over the complex issue of racism
and colour prejudice, "Crook" ends up making the Australian population
look like a bunch of psychotic killers bashing and burning the good desi boys
who have gone Under to gain gyan. Is this Australia or Chicago during the
Prohibition?
But wait. Suddenly the script decides to tilt the imbalance. Now the goras are
not that evil. It seems Indians too create an obstinate culture block when they
go abroad. They just don`t know how to blend.
Thoroughly confused in its politics, "Crook" is one of those films
that attempts to combine conviction with entertainment and falls between the two
stools in the absence of those tools that lend skilful curves and slants to the
storytelling. The narrative is uneven lopsided and askew. The pace goes from
sluggish to frantic within a few reels providing us with no space to observe the
characters` motivations beyond a cursory glance.
Mohit Suri who revealed a substantial grip over his material and characters in
"Kalyug" here seems undecided about where to take his plot. The people
who populate the storytelling seem to start off on page 1 of the newspaper and
then head towards the cartoon section.
Technical aspects, another strong aspect of Mahesh Bhatt`s films, are on this
occasion just about okay.
The performances miss the intensity of Bhatts` "Gangster" and "Kalyug"
by a wide margin. But Neha Sharma makes an expressive Hindi-cinema debut.
As for our super-hero … Move over, Rajnikanth. Emran Hashmi is more robotic in
his expressions than you can ever be.
Actress Neha Sharma admits the work she has done in Bollywood may not be "path-breaking", but says she has picked the best from what she got. In that sense, she feels she has done well in her career without having any guidance.Read More
`Crook` about racial attacks on Indians in Australia
After making horror film Raaz - The Mystery
Continues, director Mohit Suri returns with Crook: It`s Good To Be
Bad. Releasing Friday, the film deals with the sensitive issue of racial
attacks on Indians in Australia.
Produced by Mahesh and Mukesh Bhatt under their banner Vishesh Films, the film
stars Emraan Hashmi as Jai, a middle class Indian guy who goes to Australia in
search of a better life. His character has grey shades and at times he uses
unfair means to achieve his goals.
I play a character who is aggressive but at the same time he is endearing
and funny. He believes in this weird motto that it`s good to be bad because he
feels that good guys finish last, Emraan said of his character.
Known for introducing fresh faces in Bollywood, the producers -- for this film
too -- have roped in new girl Neha Sharma who plays Suhani, a girl born and
brought up in Australia. The film also stars Arjan Bajwa of Fashion
fame and Gulshan Grover.
Crook revolves around Jai who has a knack for getting into trouble.
His father was a gangster who wanted to reform. On assurance from his friend, a
police inspector, Jai`s father agrees to rat on his evil bosses. Inspector
Joseph (Gulshan Grover) fails to save his friend. After his friend`s death,
Joseph adopts Jai and tries to make him a good man. But despite repeated
attempts, he fails. Finally, Joseph arranges an alternate identity for him as
Suraj Bhardwaj and sends him to Australia.
In Oz, Jai meets Suhani. He knows if he could make Suhani fall in love with him,
he could eventually attain permanent residency by marrying her. But her brother
Samarth (Arjan) is too much of an obstacle.
However, trouble starts when Jai witnesses the cold-blooded racial assault on
Samarth. Going to the police would mean an investigation on Jai`s credentials.
Jai finds himself at a crossroad.
Emraan, who has been given a tag of serial kisser, after he locked
lips with his co-stars like Mallika Sherawat, Udita Goswami, Kangana Ranaut and
Sonal Chauhan, will be seen kissing again on screen, but this time a foreign
actress.
Mahesh Bhatt insists the film has all necessary elements - romance, comedy,
action, thrills and, of course, an issue - to make it a film for the masses.
Music composer Pritam Chakraborty, who is a favourite of the Bhatt camp, brings
forth another likeable soundtrack in the film. The foot-tapping, Punjabi number
Challa sung by Babbu Mann and Suzanne D` Mello is already a rage
among music lovers.
