Movie Review: Loins of Punjab Presents

Cast: Shabana Azmi (Rrita Kapoor), Seema Rahmani (Sania Rehman), Jameel Khan, Michael Raimondi (Josh Cohen), Manish Acharya (Vikram Tejwani ), Ajay Naidu (Turbanotorious B.D.G.), Ayesha Dharker (Opama Menon), Darshan Jariwala (Sanjeev Patel), Ishitta Sharma (Preeti Patel)

Director: Manish Acharya

It’s a fun-filled comic caper no doubt, but this time it’s not the goofy acts, senseless stunts or chaotic confusion that makes you fall off your seat.

Infact, you wouldn’t really fall off your seat!

You’ll be entertained and you’ll be smiling throughout. But don’t expect a laughathon. Just sit back, relax, let the satirical elements unfold and giggle away to glory.

For Manish Acharya’s Loins of Punjab Presents has the right amount of fun and in the right way too. Period.

‘Loins of Punjab’ is a ‘desi’ club in the US, which holds a reality show over the weekend – Desi Idol. And all the idols-wannabez want to hit the $25,000 jackpot.

There’s pretty Preeti, who has a blessed voice, but she uses it only to sing. For it’s her extended Gujarati family, which does the speaking for her.

There’s the socialite Rrita Kapoor. And as the name suggests, she’s a strong believer in astro and numerology. Rrita has oozing attitude and wants to use the cash prize for some publicity-earning charity. And she has the desire to win – by hook or by crook.

Sania Rehman is another idol-wannabe. She does not know Hindi but has nurtured a dream to make it big in Bollywood. ‘Desi Idol’ is perhaps just a channel.

Vikram Tejwani is a statistics spurting Bachchan buff. With his job being outsourced to India, Tejwani knows no better option.

Then there are two gay Bhagara singers, who don’t rap a line without using the swear word. And those who don’t understand what they sing, well they don’t understand what singing is all about!

And then of course among the desis, is a videsi contestant. Josh Cohen, has learnt classical music, loves India and knows two Hindi song – …yeh hai Bombay meri jaan… and the National Anthem. His girlfriend Opama Menon can’t help but love him more for this very reason!

The winner… ah well the climax is perhaps the best moment of the flick.

90 minutes of brisk storytelling, no tension-filled emotions and the subtle, tongue-in-cheek dialogues, Manish Acharya has not wasted any time or any word.

And direction apart, Acharya also excels in his acting skills. Rather all the actors give a show-stealing performance but it is Jameel Khan, the vulgar, loutish event manager, who walks away with the crown.

All those who have seen The Bong Connection, wouldn’t doubt Khan’s capability even for a second.

Acharya has very skilfully tied his characters close to real-life – people you might just bump into often.

Although the cinematography is quite flat, the screenplay does well even without it.

Songs… well, all those who did not know, Shabana Azmi has a beautiful voice too!

Overall the film is quite crisp and fun. It does not do any out-of-the-box deed but keeps that makes sure you keep smiling and getting those fits of laughter too!

Watch it, it’s a comedy with a difference.