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EDITOR'S PICK
`Team` a completely dated masala flick (IANS Film Review; Rating:**)
Rating: **
Amrita Arora would perhaps have been left
squirming when informed that her two-year-old film "Team - The Force"
is finally making it to the theatres. At a time when she is looking forward to
films like "Kambakkht Ishq", which stars Akshay Kumar and Kareena part
from Hollywood biggies, old demons in the form of "Team..." are coming
out of cold storage.
So what does "Team" stand for? A quintessential `masala` affair that
has a bunch of stereotyped friends. These friends have their own cinematic
history. Sohail Khan has more often than not been a comic second lead in a
majority of his films, Vrajesh Hirjee has been a comic sidekick in all his films
and Yash Tonk is still wondering whether he fits in better as a lead in TV or a
big screen villain like in "Fight Club - Members Only".
In "Team" too, Sohail Khan enjoys all the limelight while being a
fulcrum to the film`s plot. As struggling artistes, they want to make a music
video and find ample support from the friendly uncle played by Kulbhushan
Kharbanda. But an evil eye cast by an underworld don, essayed well by Sayaji
Shinde, means that it`s time for some action.
In fact if not for Sayaji Shinde, "Team" would have been a dead watch.
The story isn`t particularly exciting - it could have worked in the 1990s when
masala potboilers like these were in vogue, but in circa 2009 audiences have
certainly moved on. This is where Shinde comes to the rescue by playing to the
gallery. He might not have metro audiences clapping for him, but does promise
quite a few laughs for film buffs in smaller towns.
The `land grabbing` act in the film was seen in "Fight Club" as well.
Any more similarities? Well, a lot of them. In that film too the man who was
threatened was Kulbhushan Kharbanda, the avenger was Sohail Khan and the
supporting cast included Amrita Arora and Yash Tonk!
Coming back to Amrita. Well, she did have an eventful 2008 with "Golmaal
Returns", "Heroes" and "Hello" releasing in quick
session. Call it sheer coincidence but in the last two, she had Sohail Khan for
company. Now with "Team" she has managed to make it three in a row and
is also seen in a relatively bigger role.
But audiences won`t be too keen to watch "Team" as it has a dated
storyline. The film went into cold storage soon after its promos aired two years
back. But producers were right in releasing it now lest it becomes impossible to
revive it ever again as this is the last week before new films start releasing
post the producer-multiplex owners tiff over revenue-sharing.