GAYAB (2004)

Release Date: July 16, 2004
Director: Prawaal Raman
Music: Ajay-Atul
Lyrics: Taabish Romani
Producer: K Sera Sera, Varma Corp
Starring: Antara Mali, Tusshar Kapoor

RS RATING: 6/10

Background
Ramgopal Varma often comes up with original ideas... and executions of certain films are interesting... He is also quite clear about who his audience are. But this time around, Ramu forgets... and the script of the film is also 'gayab'... or has vanished before Ramu has started making the movie...

Story:
Based on the razor thin storyline of what would happen if you become invisible... a fantasy that every human being has... the film talks about Vishnu Prasad Singh (Tusshar) who is a good for nothing... he is bad salesman, he is very clumsy and even ends up paying money to the driver of the vehicle who is responsible for an accident involving Vishnu's scooter. All in all a dud, and good for nothing. And despite this, he fantasizes frolicking with his neighbor Mohini (Antara Mali) who has a steady boyfriend Sameer.

Vishnu's father (Raghubir Yadav) is a silent spectator when Vishnu's mother reprimands him for being a nincompoop.

One day when Sameer slaps Vishnu for winking at Mohni, the latter is shamed and wants to end his life.

And then he stumbles upon a diety (remember the diety in Darna Mana Hai who gave a nincompoop Aftab Shivdasani, the power to say stop and move?) who grants him the power to become invisible.

After becoming unseen he goes about trying to woo Mohini, beating up Sameer and then even loots a bank for Mohini. When Mohini still refuses him, he goes berserk, and turns the city upside down. This leads to the cops led by Govind Namdeo to issue an order of shoot at sight... never mind if they can't see him.

But all ends well... like in Hindi cinema... because Mohini feels that Vishnu did not mean any harm and is a good human being.

Critique:
If you have seen Mr. India, there is nothing to see in Gayab. And if you see the first five minutes of Tusshar being invisible, you don't want to see more. The dialogues may entertain, but the film has nothing new to offer. While the disappearing act has been lifted from Mr. India, the diety who grants him the wish to be invisible from Darna Mana Hai and even a few dialogues, jokes and a rain dance from Mr. India. Director Prawal Raman should not have borrowed this idea, especially from his debut film Darna...

Tusshar is the redeeming factor in the film, he does his best and this is probably his best performance to date. He looks the part of the silly Vishnu Prasad; he lets you believe that he is really clumsy to the core and a loser in life.

Antara Mali has a great body... and that's all. Don't try looking at her one more time. Wonder why Ramgopal Varma casts a girl in his film, just because she is his girlfriend.

The woman who plays Tusshar's mother Shanti in the film is very good... What's her name? She does a great job inducing laughter at times when you suddenly feel that the scene is too clichéd. Govind Namdeo as the policeman doe s great job... in the comic scenes again.

Prawal Raman fails to impress... though at times, he has used the disappearing concept and the dialogues well in the movie.

Special effects are worth it, but too much of it, is too boring. And there is nothing spectacular in the vanishing scenes. Hence the cameraman needs to do his homework better and should shoot more with a chroma background in a bigger studio.

The film is quite entertaining. And if you have nothing to do, you can very well go and watch Gayab but remember the logic in this film is 'gayab'.

Reviewed by: Qamar Zaman

Related Links
Audio Soundtrack
Video Trailers
Dekstop Wallpapers: Gayab
Movie Stills: Gayab
Dekstop Wallpapers: Tusshar Kapoor