04 July,2009 09:27 AM IST | | Sarita Tanwar
WHAT'S IT ABOUT: The boy v/s girl battle of wits has been portrayed often on screen. Trust producer Sajid Nadiadwala to make it larger-than-life and add opulence to it in his new film Kambakkht Ishq directed by first-timer Sabbir Khan.
The film has its inconsistencies but the crazy proceedings give you little time to delve over them. Khan tries to jump on the David Dhawan-Anees Bazmee bandwagon as he tells the story of Viraj (Akshay Kumar) who works as a stuntman in Hollywood.
In a full-on war of the sexes, they try their best to outdo each other until fate brings them together following a mishap. Both play the game of love until it finally strikes them. How it changes them, is the crux of the story.u00a0
u00a0
WHAT'S HOT: Sabbir Khan dreams big and achieves what nobody's attempted on Indian screen before a generous sprinkling of Hollywood stars (Sylvester Stallone being the high point); action shots filmed at Universal Studios; the Kodak Theater moment; lavish settings, designer outfits et al.
He's armed with a wafer-thin storyline, so the director resorts to cutting-edge editing, and the shock-and-awe treatment.
Producer Sajid aids his director with the best of locations and the finest of razzle-dazzle. Some scenes are truly hilarious: the one with Viraj in a semi-conscious state on the operation table and the sequences of Viraj's reactions to the Om Mangalam chants.
u00a0
Song picturisations are awesome the title song being the best of the lot. Among the performances, Kareena Kapoor has never looked better she's in full form.
Vindoo Dara Singh is surprisingly funny and Amrita Arora adds to the glamour quotient. Stallone's street fight is guaranteed to bring in the whistles. But KI's ace card is Akshay Kumar whose presence dominates the screen from first scene to the last.
Watch out for him in the introductory action sequence or screaming at his neighbours or in the emotional scene as he accepts an award on stage.
WHAT'S NOT: Comedy is perhaps the most difficult genre for any director and that explains why Sabbir Khan stumbles on many occasions.
His handling of humour goes over-the-top. Especially in the wedding fight or Viraj's interrogation sequence by a lady cop, Khan's inability is evident when he wastes artistes like Jaaved Jafferi, Boman Irani and Kirron Kher, whose strength is comedy.
Also, the Viraj-Simrita verbal tussle (calling each other "dog" and "bitch") is overdone and loses impact. The film needed some more trimming to maintain the flow.
Also, Simrita's sudden change of heart towards the male species isn't convincing at all. Brandon Routh makes Aftab look like a superstar and Denise Richards can pass off as Kareena's (much) older sister they add zero value.u00a0
u00a0
WHAT TO DO: Leave your brains behind. If mindless fun is your kind of thing, go for it.
Kambakkht Ishq
U/A; romance
Dir: Sabbir Khan
Cast: Akshay Kumar, Kareena Kapoor, Amrita Arora, Sylvester Stallone
''u00bd
Kambakkht Ishq At a cinema near you
Churchgate/Colaba
Eros (3.30, 6.30, 9.30 pm), Regal (1 pm), Inox Nariman Point (FIRST SHOW: 11 am, LAST SHOW: 11 pm)
CST/Marine lines
Metro Big (FS: 10.15 am, LS: 10.45 pm), New Excelsior (3.30, 6.30, 9.30 pm), Sterling (2.30, 7.30, 10.45 pm)
Lower Parel
PVR (FS: 10.50 am, LS: 10.30 pm)
Andheri/Juhu
Fun (FS: 11 am, LS: 11 pm), Fame Big (FS: 8 am, LS: 10.45 pm), Cinemax Versova (FS: 8.45 am, LS: 11 pm),
PVR (FS: 10.40 am, LS: 10.30 pm), Cinemax Andheri E (10.30 am, 4 pm, 7 pm)
