Unapologetic masala Producers: Nitin Manmohan,Sohail Khan,Rajat Rawail, Bhushan Kumar,Krishan Kumar Director: Anees Bazmee Writers: Gopimohan,Ikram Akhtar,Rajeev Kaul,Rajan Agarwal,Farhad-Sajid,Salim Khan Cast: Salman Khan,Asin,Paresh Rawal,Manoh Pahwa,Manoj Joshi,Anooradha Patel Singh,Puneet Issar, Eva Grover,Sharat Saxena,Akhilendra Mishra,Arya Babbar,Niketan Dheer,Sudesh Lehri. Sp.appearances: Sanjay Dutt,Ajay Devgn,Kangna Ranaut,Arbaaz Khan,Chunky Pandey and Zarine Khan Statutory Warning: All those who do not love Hindi correction,Indian mainstream cinema as this film has a South Indian original had better stay away. This ones not for the intellectuals or lovers of pretentious and wannabe global films: it is unabashed,unapologetic desi masala manoranjan of the relax-and-have-a-blast kind with elements of both nautanki and navras. Yes,there is a story too,and a message if you care,for families to value relationships above pelf and ego and also about having respect for and insisting on equality to women. So,all you cerebral guys out there,Ready does not need you anymore than you need the film! Ready,in this Hindi version,is all about Salman Khan,though not to the only-Salman-and-little-else extent of Dabangg. There is Asin having almost equal footage,though frankly,she is just adequate. As for the storyline,there is Prem (Salman),the eternal bachelor falling hook,line and sinker for Sanjana (Asin),who masquerades as Pooja (a potential match for Prem expected to fly in from America) and stays awhile with his joint and ideal family of his father and two chachas (Mahesh Manjrekar,Manoj Pahwa and Manoj Joshi) The brothers,who are worth Rs 500 crore,are united through thick and thin. Sanjana is actually an orphan on the run from her maternal uncles who each want to get her married to their sons,because she is heiress to her parents 200 crore legacy. Worse,Sanjanas uncles (Sharat Saxena and Akhilendra Mishra) are like mafioso who are also at war with each other,to the despair of their womenfolk. Prem comes to know of Sanjanas identity,but by this time,she has won over his family and also his heart. So Prem decides to mastermind his own masquerade to reform Sanjanas uncles with his own parents,uncles and aunts solidly behind him. Sanjanas late mother had a wish that both her brothers would jointly bless Sanjana at her wedding and Prem has to make that come true. The weapon: the uncles common tax consultant (Paresh Rawal). After a flaccid and somewhat dull first half that does not seem to be going anywhere and ends with an interval called a Pee Break (yes the film has its gross moments and lines that could have been dispensed with as they do not add anything to the film!). It is in the all-too-vital second half that Ready and Salman really come into their own. And after that its a fun-ride all the way to the seriocomic climax,with the comic quotient overpowering the serious business of action and a bit of preaching. Though the film is not in the No Entry league,director Anees Bazmee delivers,thanks to Salman Khan,the rock-star who laughs,fights,hams (intentionally),emotes,dances,romances and does everything else as only he can. He has fine-tuned the art (earlier mastered by past great actors) of essentially being himself without getting monotonous the hallmark of a mega-star. Farhad-Sajid (of Munna Bhai series and Rohit Shettys films fame) sparkle with their lines,tailored though they are completely to a mega-star. The technical values are lavish,and Sandeep Shirodkars background score is in sync with the needs. Pritams music fits the bill,and Devi Sri Prasad adds his masala bit with Dhinka chika. The supporting cast remains what it is by definition able supporters to the lead pair. Mahesh Manjrekar,Sharat Saxena,Manoj Pahwa and Manoj Joshi score best along with Paresh Rawal,but to me the films truly best performer after Khan is Sanjay Dutt in an unforgettable cameo as a marriage registrar who doubles up as a divorce lawyer! His underplayed poker-faced act is hilarious. Rating: *** One star for Salman Khan,one for the rest of the cast,and one for the technical aspects.
