Fun of ‘Golmaal’ gives up the ghost
THE fourth instalment in the Golmaal series offers pretty much the same slapstick humour as the other entries, replete with loud, garish visuals that have become director Rohit Shetty’s trademark.
While the lead cast remain the same, the characters they play are different and the story adds a supernatural element.
Fans will enjoy it, but others may find the proceedings tedious.
While the previous films got by with a series of often weak jokes strung together with a threadbare plot, here writer Yunus Sejawal comes up with a convoluted story around a haunted mansion, with ghosts and a murder mystery.
It’s left to our heroes to resolve the matter, but not before finding themselves in all sorts of trouble and dealing with it in the most improbable manner.
The regulars, all good actors, are wasted with poor characterisation. Ajay Devgn plays Gopal who is a
Chaos Again). Directed by Rohit Shetty. With Ajay Devgn, Arshad Waesi, Tabu, Parineeti Chopra, Shreyas Talpade, Kunal Khemmu,Tusshar Kapoor, Neil Nitin Mukesh. At Nu Metro, Canal Walk.
reviews “he man”, but afraid of the dark. He and the rest of the guys grew up in an orphanage, but went their separate ways when he was thrown out as a teenager.
Gopal teamed up with Laxman (Shreyas Talpade), while Madhav (Arshad Warsi), Lucky (Tusshar Kapoor) and the second Laxman (Kunal Khemmu) joined forces. They re-unite in adulthood, all con artists still bearing enmity from their childhood.
But when they are at the man- sion battling ghosts, the supernatural forces ensure they work together to resolve the mystery and save the orphanage.
They are joined by a large supporting cast of talented character artists who are reduced to caricatures and Johnny Lever, a veteran comedian whose antics and animated facial expressions proved popular years ago. But he delivers nothing different here.
The female contingent, represented by Tabu and Parineeti Chopra are very talented performers and do their best with weak material. Tabu plays a librarian who can see ghosts and interact with them, while Chopra plays a domestic in the mansion who is not what she seems to be.
All the lead actors are hammy and over the top with their acting skills not being taxed at all. Judging from the out-takes during the end credits, which is probably the funniest part of the film, it appears that everyone, cast and crew included, were having lots of fun on set. But this is at the audience’s expense. There is nothing fresh or original.
Cinematography by Jomon T John is picture postcard perfect and the production design of the mansion and library interiors are stunning. The music is aver- age, with hit songs from the past remixed with original material.
The film’s pay off line relating to the story is “no logic, only magic”. This line is used by the actors to remind audiences that while the film is devoid of logic there is magic on offer. Sadly, they are sorely mistaken as there is very little to enjoy.