A rib-tickling trilogy is now complete

Film: Golmaal3

Starring: Kareena Kapoor, Ajay Devgn, Mithun Chakraborty, Kunal Khemu, Tusshar Kapoor, Arshad Warsi, Johny Lever, Ratna Pathak-Shah

Directed by: Rohit Shetty

It is touted as the first real trilogy of Indian cinema. It’s about time that the distant cousin of Hollywood had one. Yet, what’s important is that Bollywood did not need to have trilogies as one hit film has the habit of spawning a whole generation of films that look and feel like the original. Golmaal 3 also suffers from that syndrome. Thankfully, it only feels like its previous avatars.

Despite retaining most characters from its previous outings, Golmaal 3 enters a hitherto uncharted territory. Madhav (Warsi), Laxman (Khemu) and Lucky (Kapoor) are the three scheming sons of Pritam (Mithun) who manage to lure Vasooli (Mukesh Tiwari) into one scheme after another.

However, as luck would have it, in everything they start, they find competition from three other down-on-their-luck kids Gopal (Ajay Devgn), Laxman (Shreyas Talapade) and Dabbu (Kareena Kapoor) with funding from Puppy bhai (Johnny Lever). Gopal and Laxman are the sons of Geeta (Ratna Pathak Shah). between two of the biggest commercial filmmaking centres of the world, Hollywood and Bollywood. While in Back To The Future the stress is on science fiction and survival of the time traveller, here it is on human relations and the various emotions associated with it.

Inevitably, locking horns, they end up destroying each others’ businesses. What the two groups don’t know is that their parents are unrequited ex-lovers. When Dabbu finds out she schemes and unites the two lovers in a marriage without letting their children know about their step-brothers. All hell breaks loose when they finally find out and a hilarious war engulfs between the two groups right under their parents’ noses.

Like its predecessors Golmaal 3 has enough laughs going through the film to keep the momentum. Johnny Lever as the Ghajini-style forgetful don who adopts a new filmy avatar every few minutes has the audience in splits. The few spoofs of old Hindi films, full of camera pans and quick zooms, will nostalgically tickle the funny bone. The twists of various popular phrases and known adages, raises more than a chuckle.

Also the paper thin, cliched villains of the film shows that Bollywood is still in a time-warp.

Much effort has gone into getting the sets right, and surprisingly, it all works. Vignettes of ancient advertisements, painstakingly made a part of the set by the filmmakers, make it a thrill to watch, especially for those from that era.

The costumes, however, try too hard to be retro. If you watch films of that period, they were not so flowery and jazzy as in this film. However, given the lighter vein in which the film is made, it is perhaps justified.

Aishwarya and Akshay are as good as Bollywood can get, which isn’t much. Pritam’s music is average and only when we do an action replay from the high plinth of the future, will we come to know the corners of the world he has plagiarised from.

Some of the spoofs are hilarious, especially the one on the Gujarati band led by Mahesh Kumar whose brother can sing in two voices. The one where the son is desperately trying to make his retro father understand the concept of sex and uses the typical Hindi film analogy of two flowers meeting, is a laugh-riot.

Despite this the film misses many opportunities for gags that can easily be part of a time travel film. Just the inclusion of names common today like Obama, Mallika Sherawat, Saif Ali Khan etc., does not necessarily make it humorous. Action Replayy, despite its best intentions and few successes, fails in many ways. Perhaps it will take someone else to say action-replay and better the present for Bollywood.

Mithun gets to do his Disco Dancer once again. Theatre veteran Ratna Pathak-Shah waltzes through the film with aplomb. Arshad Warsi is his usual tapori self while Shreyas Talapade and Kunal Khemu do a good job. It is however the beefed up Tushar Kapoor who seems to be trying too hard, and despite raising giggles, fails to arouse laughter. In the first part he, looking the most vulnerable, is the funniest of the lot.

Director Rohit Shetty tries his best in merging comic vignettes into one comprehensible film. However, had it not been for the funny dialogues, his lack of directorial verve would have shone out. He is spared the fate by some ingenious dialogue writing by Robin Bhatt (Aashiqui, Sadak, Baazigar) and Yunus Sajawal.

Now that Bollywood finally has a trilogy, will it please also make one that has some real standing in the world of cinema?

PARRAMATTA $369,950

WENTWORTHVILLE AUCTION

FANTASTIC LOCATION – CLOSE TO WESTMEAD 79 Darcy Road

Presentation plus – this home

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OPEN FOR INSPECTION: Saturday’s 1:30pm-2pm

AUCTION: Saturday, 4th December 2010 on site at 2pm Laing & Simmons Wentworthville 9688 4000 Contact Leanne Ollerenshaw 0414 790 887 or Alan Fowler 0413 057 699

WENTWORTHVILLE AUCTION

GRAND HOME WITH VIEWS 48 Thane Street

If you are after something with space for your family and another family this is the home you have been looking for!, not only is it a huge home it has a self contained guest home attached under the same roof line. The home is endless and includes 4 double size bedrooms, separate study or 5th bedroom, huge modern bathroom, large balconies with views to Parramatta and the City, large formal lounge and separate formal dining area, huge timber kitchen with dishwasher and gas cook top, separate large family room with combustion fire, separate tv room or games room, ensuite to main and 2 bathrooms, 3rd toilet and shower in the internal laundry.

AUCTION: Saturday 4 December 2010 on site at 12:00pm

Laing & Simmons Wentworthville 9688 4000

Contact Leanne Ollerenshaw 0414 790 887 or Alan Fowler 0413 057 699

Hill Auction

FULLY RENOVATED 7 Flamingo Place

Be impressed by this spectacular, renovated home offering impressive entry area, 3 large bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, separate formal dining , enormous open living area, huge Caesar stone top kitchen, tiled throughout, high ceilings, reverse cycle ducted air conditioning, security system and video, intercom and more outside. There is a large covered entertaining area and a potential fully self contained granny flat, set in quiet cul-de-sac location. This property is a must to inspect.

OPEN FOR INSPECTION: Saturday’s 2:30pm-3pm

AUCTION: Saturday, 4th December 2010 on site at 3pm Laing & Simmons Wentworthville 9688 4000 Contact Alan Fowler 0413 057 699 or Leanne Ollerenshaw 0414 790 887

Blacktown Auction

play in and carport, all ideally located Close to Girraween Selective school, buses and shops.

Laing & Simmons Wentworthville 9688 4000

Contact Leanne Ollerenshaw

PENDLE HILL $349,950

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This 2 bedroom villa is set in a small well maintained complex in a quiet street. Features include; modern kitchen, large lounge and dine area, internal laundry, lock up garage and easy maintained courtyard, all set nice and handy to trains, shops and station.

Laing & Simmons Wentworthville 9688 4000

Contact Leanne Ollerenshaw

WESTMEAD $389,950

EXCELLENT PRESENTATION IN GREAT LOCATION

This beautifully presented modern 2 bedroom unit features; main bedroom with ensuite & air conditioning, built in wardrobes to both bedroom, large modern kitchen with gas cook top & dishwasher, 2 x balconies, modern bathroom, large combined lounge and dining, internal laundry, alarm, intercom & lock up garage all within a well maintained security complex which also features a residence swimming pool.

Laing & Simmons Wentworthville 9688 4000

Contact Leanne Ollerenshaw

CASTLE HILL

Biwi or billi?

Dear Auntyji

Some weeks back I wrote to you and told you about this wonderful man I met, who is perfect in every way, but has a strange relationship with his cat. He seems to obsessively love his tirchi ankhon wali, and at first, I thought I would live with him and see what happened. If you recall, I said I disliked cats. Well, now I have developed an allergy to the billi rani and I scratch and itch like I’m a lifelong user of dope. What to do now Auntyji, what to do now? Neel loves the cat and wants a doctor’s opinion that I have an allergy. He says he cannot understand how I can just suddenly develop this condition. I need your help.

Confused Cat-hater

Auntyji says

Oh, you poor little chuhi, I totally sympathize with you. Now you might say that Neel is wonderfully perfect, but listen to me you little nadaan, the man prefers his billi over you. If he loved you, he would realise that you have an allergy and would re-home the cat. But there is none of that happening. In fact, he has demanded a doctor’s certificate, as though you were a recalcitrant schoolgirl who