Knock Out

Rating: *

Knock Out should have been called ‘Knock Off’. This one rips off Phone Booth,a Hollywood film that stuck a pleased-with-himself- publicist in a phone booth for the length of the film. If he leaves,he will be shot. It was a unique proposition,superbly executed.

In Knock Out,Irrfan takes on Farrell’s role and Sanjay Dutt steps into sniper Kiefer Sutherland’s shoes. There can be been intelligent thefts: Knock Out is a brainless mess.

Bachchu (Irrfan) is a bagman who helps transfer illegal funds from India for corrupt politicians (Grover). Dutt is the patriotic Indian who wants people like Bachchu to confess to their sins,via TV reporters (Ranaut) who sport killer stilettos and tight short skirts when they go on shoots.

Mani Shankar’s films have patriotism as their abiding theme,and he’s done a couple of decent films before. But this beggars belief. In an attempt to appear a man of the world capable of wearing Gucci loafers and Rolex watches,Irrfan flings his long curly locks about and blabbers. It’s hard to make an actor of Irrfan’s calibre look ineffectual; this film manages it effortlessly. Dutt spends his time toggling between a rifle and a blue-tooth device. And Ranaut,playing the kind of TV reporter we hope will never grace a crisis-ridden spot,displays an utter lack of credibility.

shubra.gupta@expressindia.com