EKKEES TOPPON KI SALAAMI: A satisfying change from regular slapstick comedies! Give it a shot! [3/5]

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Filled with humor [most come from corruption & politics] and drama [soaked in middle-class values] that might sound outdated, film falters in the second half when most of the events look too convenient to be convincing and it all takes too much time to fizzle into the climax.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].