In spite of the handicaps, the film manages to largely entertain, because of its child-like naive approach and also largely due to some intermittent funny dialogues

Don’t miss this film. It is one of those precious little watches that’s capable of giving a quick bout of spring cleaning to your heart, bringing out a few uncomfortable emotions that one otherwise keeps tucked in untouched corners. And if you are lucky, you get a joyride back to your carefree, childhood days too.

Remo D’Souza, evidently a far better choreographer than a director, resorts to predictable clichés, unnecessary Bollywoodish twists and worst of all, insipid dialogues, instead of dwelling into the crests and troughs of the emotions of the troupe members, as they go from utter humiliation to grand jubilation. The oversimplified treatment and the superfluous screenplay makes things worse. And the film is 30 minutes too long.

If this film looks like an entertaining, escapist film at the outset, it is, but it is also much deeper than that. Watch it for sure.

What follows is a half funny, half not so funny adventure of the two bumbling idiots, who are by now desperate to get back to this side of the border. What stands out in this film is the fairly intelligent writing, which includes a few uproariously funny dialogues, and which belies the writer’s (Vrijesh Hirjee) fair understanding of the current political scenario.

The film shockingly starts with a rather tacky mental hospital scene and just when your heart starts sinking at the travesty of the team, it soon gets back into the familiar, feel-good mode and life is good again.

Even though Kangana Ranaut has evidently grown by leaps and bounds in confidence over the five years since she starred in the original, the same can not be said about the sequel.

This film is more like a roller coaster ride, as it takes you on a dizzy high with its charming ambience and music that is bound to stay with you for long, but later you are brought down not so gently with the underwhelming plot and lack of punches. Watch it for the experience.

Shoojit Sircar is obviously snug as a bug in a rug with the Bengali ‘Kaalture’ and that comfort reflects on the screen. Sharp screenplay and charming dialogues by Juhi Chaturvedi compliments the mood as the duo take us through a Basu Chatterjee, Hrishikesh Mukherjee kind of delightful slice of life experience. However, one wishes that so much ‘Bengaliness’ was not unnecessarily crammed into certain scenes. –

The star cast is pretty good. A special mention has to be made of the ever dependable Revathi, who yet again delivers a convincing act. But of course, it is Kalki who takes your breath away with a superlative performance. Undoubtedly with one of the finest performances in recent years, Kalki lives and breathes Laila with such amazing ease and conviction that she stays in your head for a long time after you have left the theatre.

A film so real that you can almost touch it. Please go watch it. The audience needs such films more than the film needing the audience.