The lower middle
class has been vanished from Hindi films for quite some time now. The last time
we had something notable belonged to that part of the Indian population was
Rajat Kapoor’s thoroughly believable and psychological introspective drama ANKHON
DEKHI. EKKEES TOPPON KI SALAAMI is far from joining that masterstroke in the
same rank but that’s only because it chooses to be a mainstream film polluted
with songs that rarely come with a dependable explanation and lousy melodrama
meant to target the larger part of the picture. Still, it is a film with good
content and a wise intent to highlight an honest common man’s want to have at
least an honorable end to his struggled for long life.
If given a chance,
most would die to be born again but not to the same parents! Shekhar [Manu
Rishi] and Subhash [Divyendu Sharma of PYAR KA PUNCHNAMA] never really approve
their father’s lesser paid government job and his rock steady moral values to
stay honest at any cost. Things change when Purushottam Joshi [Played by Anupam
Kher] dies with false charge of being a corrupt employee just before he was to
be retired. And now the sons are left with his last wish to have a 21 gun
salute at his final ceremonial service in order to regain his lost respect.
Ravindra Gautam’s EKKEES
TOPPON KI SALAAMI is a satirical take on today’s youth, political scenarios,
and on the changing phase and face of media too. So, you will find many
interesting characters and the deadpan jokes and good one-liners coming in free
flow every now and then. When a state chief-minister [Rajesh Sharma] gets exposed
in a scam of allotting government bungalow to his love-interest a flop Bollywood
actress [Neha Dhupia], all he is concerned about the sum of the scam as it is
too small to put him in the big league. You will also see a power-hungry mother
[the veteran Uttara Baokar] pitching herself to the High Command modeled on the
powerful kingmaker of Congress, as her son’s worthy successor. There is also a
struggling writer in films [Aditi Sharma] now writing officially for the chief
minister and in one sequence intelligently translates all his abusive, offensive
and insulting remarks into a politically correct press-release.
Filled with humor [most
come from corruption & politics] and drama [soaked in middle-class values]
that might sound outdated, film falters in the second half when most of the
events look too convenient to be convincing and it all takes too much time to
fizzle into the climax. Never mind! The performances never bore you. Anupam
Kher outshines everyone and emerges as the strongest pillar of the film. With shades
and emotions borrowed from any common man’s life, this one is his most absorbing
performance in recent. Absolutely flawless! Manu Rishi & Divyendu don’t
disappoint and stay true to their roles. Rajesh Sharma showers plenty of laughs
and gags as the corrupt, lewd and loud-mouthed politician pampered by his
opportunist mother. Uttara Baokar excels in that role. Neha Dhupia sizzles with
her caricature-ish portrayal of camera-loving actress, especially in ‘Ghoor
Ghoor Ke’ song where she appears as most of the top bollywood actresses in
their best on-screen avatars.
To conclude, EKKEES
TOPPON KI SALAAMI succeeds in making you uncomfortable with emotionally
charged-up sequences but also gives you enough room to laugh out loud. A must
if you want a satisfying change from regular double-meaning, sexy, slapsticks! [3/5].
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