FILM REVIEW: DOSTI (2005)

Director: Suneel Darshan
Starring: Akshay Kumar, Bobby Deol, Kareena Kapoor, Lara Dutta, Lillette Dubey, Juhi Chawla
Producer: Suneel Darshan
Music: Nadeem-Shravan

Suneel Darshan’s emotional drama ‘Dosti - Friends Forever’ started as a decent story about two friends that subsequently becomes a confusing melodrama, much alike the popular TV soaps that show Saas-Bahu (Mother-in-law and Daughter-in-law) war of words. But alas! We have already seen that over the small screen many times and rejected that too, long ago. So, why all the trouble of showing it again!

Darshan went on to make a complete family entertaining film but instead the end product has come out as a family disaster. The film also wanted to reflect how friendship surpasses all obstacles but till the time all obstacles end, the viewer has to go though endless and meaningless fights that makes him give a damn when the two friends unite. Even Akshay and Bobby personal rapport has not been quit enough to support the film.

Bobby, Akshay and Kareena team have come back after hit movie ‘Ajnabee’. This is Suneel Darshan’s seventh film with his favourite hero Akshay Kumar - who has now become not so favourite that Suneel has decided to cast another hero in his next. Also, Suneel’s favourite music maker duo, Nadeem-Shravan, is going their separate ways after this film.

The story starts when Karan Thapar (Bobby Deol) goes into flashback and thinks about his childhood, his best friend Raj (Akshay Kumar).

Karan is a son of rich businessman who is neglected and ignored by his busy parents and even his sister doesn’t like him. He comes across a commoner Raj, who saves his life from an accident. They instantly share a great bond with each other and Karan announces to his parents - from then onwards Raj will stays with them. His parents bow down to their friendship and this Karan - Raj pair grows up to have no similarities, yet as bonded as brothers.

Karan is today’s urban guy, with a wild lifestyle - who gets into wicked situations when it comes to his girlfriends. Raj is a sincere and loving person who saves his friend no matter what the situation. He loves Karan unconditionally. Raj has a childhood love, Anjali Thakur (Kareena Kapoor) but does not have guts to propose her. So Karan plays a matchmaker and Raj - Anjali gets engaged, much to Anjali’s family disappointment. Cupid strikes Karan in the form of Kajal (Lara Dutta) - who gives him a tough time and then makes him, her boyfriend (after keeping him on trial). So far, so good!

The twist in the tale, take a toll on the story. Shakti Kapoor arrives at Mahesh Thakur (Kareena brother played by Aman Verma) home and this results in a heated confrontation between Raj and Mahesh. Raj who cannot tolerate anyone bad mouthing about his buddy slaps Kareena’s brother after which she breaks her engagement with Raj, calling him cowered and just a shadow of his friend. Here fate also brings tragedy in one of the friends’ life and the senseless saga continues.

The endless songs play a spoilsport in a movie of just two hours, fifteen minutes. Some of them should have been cut down. Only two track are worth mentioning - Dulhaniya and Boogie Woogie. Some of the dialogues are good. Cinematography is eye-catching and appealing. The worst thing about the movie is that the story is most predictable. Many twist and turns are added in the movie to make the screenplay gripping but it adds to the confusion, rather than beholding the viewer.

Akshay - Bobby pair is superb. Bobby as Karan, surprisingly looks more convincing than Akshay as Raj. Kareena Kapoor and Lara Dutta are looking very hot, but apart from that they have nothing much to offer. They are just their, for aesthetic part of the movie. Others are just so-so.

Instead of Dosti, go for Fantasy.

RS Rating: 4/10

Credit: This review was submitted by Ankit Jain of Footprints.in. They run their own movie Blog at DCECinemas. To submit your own review for posting on radiosargam.com please email.