DUM-less

From a strictly project management point of view; “Dum Maaro Dum” fails on a number of accounts. The first problem is the filmmaker’s inability to understand the core product.

When making a thriller; there are two ways of going about it. The first is to evolve the story or the character in a crescendo to climax at the right time. The film takes the route of parallel narrative to reach a point in the story where they all meet and the story moves from there. In principle that is where the film went wrong. Ending the parallel narrative at intermission confuses the audience and you leave the story handicapped; basically a dick with no hand to jerk. “Kya hai kahani tere paap ki”- tag line for the movie gets lost for not allowing enough time. This is where a question needs to be answered; was it a good move to cut the movie short to 130 min. A good story in a Hindi movie could easily hold somebody for 150 min or so. The parallel narrative could have continued for a good twenty minutes more evolving the characters and then caressing their respective lives to another point of culmination. I don’t know what the answer to that is but it’s strictly a screenplay issue.

What also could have been done was to rely on the twists in the tale to engage the audience which I strongly believe could have been done; but then the film had to have more histrionics with the protagonists. Traditionally; histrionics can make-up for lack of character evolution. Unfortunately for a movie so dependant on the characters and their individual behaviours steering the storyline; the only character allowed to grow is entrusted with the worst actor of the film.(Here I go again!!!! My pet hate; Abhishek Bachchan).

I honestly cannot understand what it is with good filmmakers and Abhishek Bachchan. I think we have enough evidence to suggest that he has absolutely no calibre as an actor and the only credible piece of work he has is Yuva. All he can possibly do is look good in a Hindi Rap song. In the same breath; “thayn thayn” was strictly mediocre. The best song in the movie; “Jeeyein Kyun” was wasted and I so wish I could yell and abuse Rohan Sippy when I was watching it being butchered.

Rohan; I loved Bluff master, but you need to realise something if you haven’t already. It worked because of Rietesh, Nana and the music. Nothing that good was in this one.

Hope you make a better one next time.

For everybody else; go watch “Shor in the city”………….Awesome