Utt Pataang Hindi Movie
The film takes off with two friends Nandu (Saurabh Shukla) and Ram (Vinay Pathak) meeting a single girl Koyal (Mona Singh) at a pub. As Ram and Koyal strike a conversation they realize Nandu, who had gone the washroom, has actually left. Since Koyal has no place to go Ram takes her home where he used to stay with his ex-girlfriend Sanjana (Mahie Gill). The story takes a turn when Sanjana walks in and find Koyal in the house.
Sanjana is involved with a don called Lucky who is a lookalike of Ram. She has stolen his money and now trying to leave India but she needs her passport, which she left at Ram's place. Ram's friend Nandu, a private detective, helps her get it but falls into the net of the don himself.
Utt Pataang has an interesting and impressive narrative. Each character is introduced one by one and his or her involvement in the plot is explained. The story keeps getting into flashbacks, which play out into the present situation. What seems to be a regular love story at the outset turns out to be a mad comic thriller. The connect remains throughout, despite the difficult screenplay, which is commendable.
However apart from the narrative structure there is hardly anything that manages to make a mark about this film. The characters are patchy. Lucky is a don and has a posh office which he runs under the guise of another company. He is someone who never spares anyone who takes away his money and is dreaded - at least that's what is gathered from Nandu's description. However he does not even have Rs 5 crore to buy a house for his wife! Also he keeps mixing up with French and Hindi. While he is talking to his wife in sparkling Hindi, he turns French when speaks with others! Also there is nothing in the plot that required Lucky to be a lookalike of Ram, except vain attempt to create comedy. Then there is Nandu, a detective, who has done all possible research on people around him does not bother to check a bag before he takes it to the don.
Thankfully for the film there were no songs to loosen the pace. The first half is pretty decent. The second half loses way only to find the rhythm back later.
The performances are disappointing too. While Saurabh Shukla shines, Vinay Pathak does not quite fit the bill. Mahie Gill, usually a performer, draws blank too. Mona Singh is repetitive.
Utt Pataang does not have anything that could push you to buy a ticket - unless you really want to watch it just for the sake of watching it! This one is a disappointment.
