The picture’s premise is strong. The setting is solid. The scam’s quite awesome. The friends make for quite a foursome. All are equally endearing. As are their antics. And then the screen flashes, Interval. Everything dopily goes down a slope thereafter, and onward to America, arrogance and all that jazz.

Badmaash Company is a proof that the Yash Raj Films formula is irrevocably broken. The posturing stars, snazzy styling, foreign locations, plastic textures and necessary dash of family values simply can’t cut it anymore. Badmaash Company is a staggeringly tedious film, which takes two hours and twenty three minutes to give us the moral science lesson that honesty is the best policy.

I mean, going to USA and starting a scam by teenagers who have just made two trips to Bangkok is unbelievable. These guys are not going to Bhuleshawar! And since when has it has been easy to ‘finger’ the Americans in their own backyard with no fear of the law. These and more such silly gags is what BADMAASH COMPANY is all about.

Bunty Aur Babli for dummies! I am sure that’s what the hard bound script of Badmaash Company must have read. Throughout the film, Shahid keeps crossing his fingers each time he wants something really bad. I did the same, hoping the movie works; sadly I just ended up with a bad sprain!

There’s little regard for suspense or audience sophistication needed in a con movie

Debut writer-director Parmeet Sethi (veteran actor most famous for playing the groom in Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge) has made a crime fairytale with little plausibility and lots of gloss. Watch it if you must see sprawling mansions, overnight riches and glam clothes. And if you don’t mind if it all doesn’t make sense.