Golmaal Returns is probably one of the most awaited films this year. And simply for one reason that Golmaal was a huge hit. Frankly I never liked the first part. There were too many gags, the comic timing was off and the dialogues fell flat at many places. So it was with a certain amount of reserve that I entered the auditorium for Golmaal Returns. Also two of my favourite actors Paresh Rawal and Sharman Joshi were missing from the sequel… It seemed like the director Rohit Shetty was simply trying to cash in on the success of his debut venture.

Twenty minutes into the film and I found myself laughing out loud. Golmmal Returns like its predecessor revolves around four men whose lives are inextricably intertwined. Gopal (Ajay Devgan) is married to Ekta (Kareena Kapoor ) who is a K-soap addict. She's convinced her husband is cheating on her. Tusshar Kapoor plays Ekta's dumb brother who's unable to speak. He survives by speaking gibberish and really funny gestures. At one point Gopal spends the night outside the house. But due to Ekta's suspicious temprament he can't tell her the truth. Unfortunately for him his worst enemy gets murdered that night. And as Gopal struggles to establish his innocence, the noose around his neck just seems to get tighter and tighter.

It's more than two years since Golmaal released and the director has taken his own time to emerge with the sequel. And a lot of effort has gone into the script. Essentially the film remains a comic caper but the timing is perfect. Every sequence is well scripted and tightly edited. So despite the fact that the 30 minutes of the film the director is just establishing the characters and their various personalities the film doesn't drag. Actually you keep waiting to see what is likely to happen next.

Tusshar deserves the credit

If Tusshar was good in Golmaal he is excellent in this film. He's back with his favourite dialogue 'Mayar Oot'. For those who haven't seen the first part they can figure out what it stands for. And thankfully the director has used it with a great deal of restraint so every time he utters this curse you find yourself laughing all over again.


But it's not just his stuttering dialogues. Since he can't speak he uses his whole body to convey emotions. And the expression in his eyes changes from minute to minute. In all probability Tusshar Kapoor will walk away with most of the awards for best performance in a comic role.

Kareena Kapoor looks very good in the film. And she succeeds in looking thin without looking haggard. And she manages to ooze sex appeal irrespective of what she is wearing. But her role itself is very limited so there's nothing much she can do in this film.

Shreyas Talpade is the new entrant instead of Sharman Joshi. And luckily his chemistry with the earlier trio Arshad Warsi, Ajay Devgan and Tusshar Kapoor clicks perfectly. They are all simply amazing.

Ajay Devgan is a very effective counterpart to Tusshar's effervescence and ebullience. And Arshad Warsi as the gleeful inspector is a sheer delight. Most of the kids in the audience start giggling the minute Arshad appears on screen.

Four men dressed in drag

There's one sequence where all four men appear dressed up as women. And unfortunately more often than not these sequences in Bollywood tend to be executed in a cheap and lewd fashion. There's a very fine dividing line between crass and vulgar. And the director does not cross this line. In fact seeing Arshad Warsi dressed up as a famous lead actress (I refuse to tell you the name) had me in splits of laughter.

The director has taken potshots at a few well-known directors such as Sanjay Bhansali and Aditya Chopra. There are a few jokes on films also particularly Saawariya, Tashan and Black. In fact Munni's character is a take-off on Rani Mukerji's role in Saawariya. But it's been done in good taste. Spoofs needn't always be loud in your face.

Long live the tattoos

Saif Ali Khan may or may not have his girlfriend's name tattooed on his arm. But even at this minute there are probably millions of girls carving their husbands/boyfriends would do the same. And the director has used this brilliantly in the opening sequence.

Why this film works!

A tight script and good comic timing help to maintain the pace. The film drags briefly before the interval but then it picks up again. And in the earlier films the characters were simple unsophisticated college dropouts. Here they are men of the world. They look good and they dress flashily. Which goes perfectly well with the storyline. Thankfully there has been no attempt to overload the film with songs even though the music is by pritam. In all probability the one dialogue 'Shaque what the f***! will be used for years after the film.

What doesn't work

The film has been shot almost entirely in India. And it's good that simple fun films do not need grand locations. But a little more thought could have been given to the locations. And a lot of sequences, which have been shot on sets, would work much better if they were shot on location. And the women are completely wasted. Especially Amrita Arora!
But the film makes you laugh…

Verdict: If you are in the mood to watch a harebrained comic caper this film is perfect Diwali viewing.

Rating: 3.5/5

First things first: Priyanka Chopra must thank Madhur Bhandarkar for a role that any actress would lay down her life for. As Meghna Mathur in Fashion, Priyanka may finally achieve the critical acclaim and commercial success she's dreamt of all along.

As for the film itself, Fashion is a story of a small-town girl, who aspires to be a supermodel. Propped by some resourceful and forever generous friends, she finds herself in Mumbai and soon begins to climb the vertiginous heights of success.

But like all good things in life, the achievements come with a hefty tag. And the meteoric rise of Meghna is soon offset by a near-fatal fall that leaves her scarred and bruised. Meghna's rise, fall and her eventual rise to the top again is what Fashion is all about.

Bhandarkar has been doing considerable research for his film. He has spared no efforts in getting some of the most experienced hands on board for the right feel. And in frame after frame the detailing, styling and the choice of the ensemble cast gives Fashion the realistic feel that is so important for a film of this genre.

The fashion shows are lavishly mounted and impeccably put together. The backstage frenzy is well captured, as is every gleam in the kohled eyes, the glitter of bronzed cleavages, tinkling of champagne flutes and even the clamour for the first row seats at fashion shows.

The ensemble cast includes a smattering of industry experts: there is veteran choreographer Achla Sachdev, designers Wendell Rodricks, Narendra Kumar Ahmed, Shane and Falguni Peacock and a host of other real-life professionals, including a bevy of the top models: Noyonika Chatterjee, Alecia Raut and Mugdha Godse, who plays Priyanka's friend Janet.

Of course, like in all Madhur Bhandarkar films there are several references to real life incidents in Fashion too.

Those in the know will smile at how Bhandarkar includes everything: from socialite Queenie Dhody's now-famous marital dispute to the great designer spat between Aki Narula and Suneet Varma.

Kangana's character Shonali bears a striking resemblance to the troubled model Geetanjali Nagpal, who was found begging on the city streets, after a professional and personal crisis. And yes, there is also the scene where Shonali has a wardrobe malfunction, just as Carol Gracias had during Fashion Week some time back.

Janet's liaison with a rich gay designer is also something that isn't too hard to find in this particular world. And indeed Priyanka Chopra's character too seems to be based on real life model Shivani Kapur – once the face of a cosmetic giant, now spending most of her time away from the glare of the arc lights.

'Don't think. You are a model'

Bhandarkar's Fashion is more about the models, the 'clothes hangers' as they are known. Often dismissed as bimbettes they earn the odd buck by appearing for page three dos and if they are good enough, get to walk the ramp for top designers.

The film captures the pathos and irony of these pretty girls, who are often talked down by designers with lines like "You are model. You are not supposed to think." It is a world where professional contracts have no-marriage, no pregnancy clauses, while brand ambassadors are often the victims of a rich man's whims.

Male models have the toughest time here – refusing to sleep with a gay designer would mean absolutely no chance to be seen anywhere near the ramp.

There is enough coke-snorting, cigarette smoking and drinking in the film to warrant an A-certification. And that's where maybe Madhur got a little too self-obsessed while trying to explore the dark side of this glitzy world. But what the heck… it works!

While the references could have been many, Bhandarkar does not get carried with 'reality' and thankfully does not come across as didactic. The fashion shows are pictured and styled very well (thanks to style consultant Rita Dhody) while certain scenes stand out for their masterful handling.

The interaction between Priyanka and Kangana in the ladies restroom, the first time Priyanka lights a cigarette and later when she realises she has slept with a complete stranger in a cheesy hotel, are just some examples.

A special mention for music directors Salim and Suleiman, whose haunting signature tune seems to have captured the essence of the film bang on.

For a change unlike most Bollywood films, Fashion belongs to the ladies. For nearly three hours they hold you in thrall. And the beauty is, while the film is about the sinfully glitzy world of fashion, none of the actresses have had to resort to titillation to hold your attention.

Kangana Ranaut has a relatively small role to play. But she's a key to the way Priyanka's character evolves in the second half and in that sense becomes significant. She plays a super successful model who has a very tragic personal life – an abusive boyfriend and colleagues who don't hesitate to backstab her. Kangana does a convincing job. But seeing her as the doped-out and self-destructive psychotic woman for the nth time puts you off. Probably it's time Kangana takes a break from playing these roles.

Mugdha Godse though is a revelation. She seems confident for a newcomer and has a great body too. Kitu Gidwani is chillingly real as the ruthless head of a modelling agency.

As for the men in Fashion, let's just say they're either gay or wimps. Now that's tad too much to handle, especially the gay bit. Arjan Bajwa is just about okay, while Arbaaz Khan as the owner of one the largest fashion houses also does a fairly interesting job. He plays the man who creates the phenomena of supermodel Meghna Mathur and then ruins her life.

And finally Priyanka Chopra – right from the very first scenes as the gauche small-town girl dressed in blingy clothes, inept at air kissing to the super confident and later super arrogant bi**h – is absolutely brilliant.

She uses her eyes eloquently – her small paunch notwithstanding – struts her stuff in designer heels quite well. Her transformation from the simple, awkward girl petrified of shooting for a lingerie ad to the drop dead gorgeous show stopper, gives you the goose pimples. Priyanka's portrayal of a woman who's headed for a fall because she cannot see the thin line between arrogance and attitude draws you to her. It helps also that the character she plays has been very well etched out. Meghna Mathur could well be your model-next-door whose inability to handle success, relationships and her life, is something many of us can relate to in some way or the other.

Her first sip of wine, her first flirtation or first seduction, her first lovemaking, her first puff of cigarette and her very first betrayal are all personal milestones that become yours too. And they all add up to the grand finale, when she steps out to the face the world again, rising from the ashes. Surely, the climax is riveting though it comes a little too late. Yet chances are you will find yourself giving Priyanka Chopra a standing ovation.

Having gushed enough about the film, here's the list of things that don't work: Madhur's obsession with poking fun at high society continues with digs at socialites, trophy wives and gay designers. A little maturity and sensitivity may have helped here.

The film is more about models than about fashion, really. It is not about the designers, the clothes or the creative process. In Madhur's world the designers are either gay or exploitative or both and of course quite like in Page Three almost all socialites are bad, sad and bitchy. What's more, Priyanka's friends are always 'too good', generous to a fault, making them a little unreal.

However at the end of it all Bhandarkar shows you how to make an absolutely kickass film without a single male lead. And that in itself calls for a celebration.

Verdict: Shut out the endless chatter about six-packs and eight-packs and coordinated stunts by 40-something actors. Fashion is an ode to women, beautiful women who can deliver a killer performance.

Rating: 3.5/5