REVIEW: Irrfan saves a dull SUNDAY
What's it about
Ayesha Takia plays a dubbing artiste who suffers from temporary memory lapses. Soon she forgets an entire day in her life – the same day a socialite is found dead in her locality. Unaware of this missing day, Ayesha finds herself chased by a cabbie (Arshad Warsi), an aspiring actor (Irrfan Khan), a bunch of goons and many more mysterious characters. They all accuse her of cheating them and Ayesha also becomes one of the murder suspects. Corrupt cop Ajay Devgan comes to her rescue and goes about unravelling the mystery behind that one Sunday.
Is it a comedy?
Yes, the script attempts to make you laugh at several points. But perhaps the actors end up trying just too hard. In most of the scenes the timing is surprisingly missing and the film moves on at a lethargic pace. Some of the pre-interval sequences often test your patience, since you expect a certain spontaneity from the wacked out characters. Strange, considering the director's previous effort Golmaal, worked mainly because of the chemistry between its lead actors. Things however become better in the second half. All thanks to Irrfan and Arshad's series of Bollywood take offs. But given the talent behind this film, there was enough potential to bring the house down.
Or is it a thriller?
There is also a murder mystery in the background. But too many characters and subplots end up spoiling the ride. In fact the truth behind the murder is anything but shocking. After a point the film just swings between the comic sequences and Ajay's investigation. And neither manage to hold your attention for long.
The cast
The film has a huge cast, but it's Irrfan Khan who has you in splits every time he is on screen. Watch out for his spoofs on Don and Himesh. One really wishes there was more of him as he consistently rises above script.
Arshad should guard against getting typecast in tapori roles. He is effective but by now you know how Arshad will react to a situation. While Ajay is also getting repetitive with his predictable style of dialogue delivery. We guess the actor is switching gears to direction at the right time.
Ayesha Takia is likeable as the girl who can mimic anybody. But she really needs to watch her weight and get a new designer. Maybe her low glam quotient prompted the director to cast Esha Deol for a masquerade item song. Esha by the way is pretty impressive in her 5-minute-long appearance. Also cast is Amitabh Bachchan's Cadbury girl, who plays Ayesha's friend and tags along with her in every frame. The pretty actress successfully keeps us distracted from Ayesha’s thanda costumes. Do something Ayesha, masses want their heroines to look hot.
The music
The soundtrack has been composed by six music directors. And they have come up with a catchy one. The songs suit the genre of the film and in some cases better than the rest of the movie. Even the background score is used to good effect in the action sequences.
A lavish look
A special mention for the cinematographer, as he captures the streets of Delhi in all their stylish grandeur. The car chase along India Gate and Ajay's opening fight in Chandni Chowk are quite distinct from the routine locations in other films. The film is high on production values.
Verdict
Being a solo release, Sunday could benefit from the Republic Day weekend. But save for Irrfan, the rest of the film fall short of expectations.
Rating: 2/5
