Nothing to laugh about

October 08, 2011 06:18 pm | Updated August 01, 2016 03:42 am IST

CPTB:  RASCAL

CPTB: RASCAL

Who would have ever thought that Lisa Haydon would be the best thing about a film with all those big names? And no, she doesn't have any acting to do either.

She just walks out of a swimming pool in a bikini, flashes her tattoos and seduces Ajay Devgn.

Ajay Devgn ends up second best, gleefully relishing this role that requires him to make sleazy moves on Kangna and Lisa.

Lastly, there's one good joke in there when the two conmen go to rob a bank with nothing but a note scribbled: “Give us money. We have gun.” The confused Thai bank staff reads it and asks: “You have gum?” And a farcical argument ensues on whether they have scribbled “n” or “m”. Find that funny? Now, imagine if that was the best joke in the whole film.

David Dhawan desperately tries to evoke the charm of his effortless improvisational comedies from the past and resorts to stealing ideas from other silly films in the same genre and all the jokes end up flat.

The writing is seriously dated, the timing is suspect and the treatment is outright sleazy, even by his own standards.

The moment the film tries to force a gag out of a con pretending to be blind and burying his face in a bikini-clad woman's bosom, you know the writers have been watching too much porn.

There is not a single original bone in this rehash and all that could have been overlooked if it was at least remotely funny. If you still feel brave enough to head to the theatre, beware of the talking terror called Kangna Ranaut. Her accent and delivery seems to be getting worse with every passing film and when required to do comedy, she is just clueless. That may just explain all the bikini shots in the film.

Rascals

Genre: Comedy

Director: David Dhawan

Cast: Sanjay Dutt, Ajay Devgn, Kangna Ranaut, Arjun Rampal, Chunky Pandey, Satish Kaushik, Lisa Haydon

Storyline: Two conmen try to outwit each other and woo a rich heiress in Bangkok

Bottomline: Tacky rehash of plot points and jokes from Deewana Mastana , Andaz Apna Apna , Bluffmaster , Hangover and assorted David Dhawan hits.

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