Movie review: Dekh Re Dekh

‘Dekh Re Dekh’,which started life as ‘Dekh Bhai Dekh’ till a court order prevented its use,is an odd-bod. It’s set in the middle of nowhere,populated with nowhere people,busy getting nowhere slowly.

There’s a village which has a pond,a temple,a palace and a haunted ‘haveli’,and a foursome which wants to get rich,very,very quick. Siddharth needs the money to buy himself a job,Raghuveer an MLA’s seat,Gracy an ‘out’ of her hideous marriage,and Vijay—well,he’s a thief,so he needs to steal to keep his hand in.

They tumble around each other,and fetch up in a dark ‘haveli’,in which lives a long-haired woman who looks as if she’s off her rocker. Gracy,the chirpy ‘gaon ki chori’ wooed by Aamir in ‘Lagaan’,looks as if she’s at the end of her tether: anyone would if they had to roam around with poison in their bodice,waiting for a chance to use it. And poor Raghuveer and Vijay,who deserve better,appear appallingly lost.

Clearly,the film has been made for an audience. Question is,who’s going to watch it?

Rating: * (don’t watch/ avoid)

(shubhra.gupta@expressindia.com)