🙌🤡🙌🤡🙌🤡👌 (3 and a half stars)
Well, well, well, look what the stray dog dragged in! A Bollywood film that’s all bark and no bite. Here I am, your queen of quip, Review Rani, ready to sink my teeth into this fluffy tail wagging tale.
This ‘slice-of-life’ drama that’s been served up by director Sunil Sukthankar is about as appetising as a stale slice of bread. We have the artistically inclined Adima Roy-Phatak (the evergreen Sharmila Tagore), who’s trying to inject some positivity into her dark and dreary graphic novel. Enter her grandson, Neel (Jeehan Hodar), who brings along his pet pooch, Pablo (Simba). When Pablo decides to play hide and seek, granny and grandson turn into bumbling detectives, trying to sniff out their four-legged friend.
Now here’s the catch, Pablo finds himself a new home with the gruff and grumpy Nana Modak (Dr Mohan Agashe), who surprisingly becomes all mushy and gooey over the canine. What follows is a comedic tug-of-war over poor Pablo, which somehow inspires Adima’s graphic novel. 🐶💼🤔
The film tries its best to wag its tail on some serious topics like the needs of the elderly and youngsters, and the societal judgment faced by working women. But it’s about as subtle as a dog whistle. Case in point, Adima’s preachy sermon to her daughter Vasu (Sonali Kulkarni) about treating Neel as an individual and not just a responsibility. 😴
While the story does have its endearing moments, the screenplay seems to have been written by a dog chasing its own tail. For instance, Adima and Neel give up on finding Pablo faster than a dog scarfs down its dinner. And Nana’s transformation from being a dog-hater to dog-lover is as convincing as a cat barking.
On the brighter side, Saket Kanetkar’s jazz-infused score does add a playful touch to the detective-themed sequences. It’s like a dog chasing its tail, but in a good way! 🎷🎵
The plot of a grandma and grandson playing detective is as delicious as a bone to a dog. But subplots like Vasu’s strained relationship with her husband Dutt (Neeraj Kabi) are as undercooked as a rawhide chew.
The film does have its moments, like when Nana smugly tells his neighbour Londhe (Pradeep Joshi) that Pablo chose to stay with him, only for Londhe to crack a joke about how Pablo might change his mind once he realises how grumpy Nana is. 😂
Sharmila Tagore and Dr Mohan Agashe shine in their roles, like a pair of glossy coated show dogs, while Sonali Kulkarni and Neeraj Kabi make an impression in their brief roles. And Pradeep Joshi’s comic timing is spot-on, like a dog catching a Frisbee.
Despite its heartwarming moments and occasional charm, the film is like a dog chasing its tail – cute to watch but not particularly engaging. But hey, it leaves you with a warm and fuzzy feeling, much like cuddling up with a fluffy pooch. 🐕❤️
Rani’s Raucous Wrap-Up
So, in the end, this film turns out to be a bit of a dog’s dinner – a mishmash of ideas, some that work and some that don’t. But don’t worry, it’s not a total dog’s life. It’s a decent watch if you’ve got nothing else to do. Or if you’re a dog lover. Or if you’re a dog. 🐾🐶🐕🦺
