Badmaash Company may not be as buoyant as Bunty aur Babli, the original badmash couple in recent cinema, but it does make for some merry viewing.

It’s got a background score that sounds suspiciously like Ocean’s 11, a storyline with shades of 21, and clichés that you associate with a ‘Bollywood’ film. In spite of all that, Badmaash Company is immensely watchable. Without some inconsistencies and a little more imagination, it could have been a lot better.

Parmeet walks the tight rope of handling a complex subject and offering entertainment simultaneously, in his very first film. To his credit, the film has several poignant and enjoyable moments that catch you by complete surprise. While the film has it all — the writing has the power to keep the viewer hooked — the film has a handicap in the form of its second hour, especially the penultimate 25-odd minutes.

Badmaash Company is contemporary in that the protagonist is shown in grey shades instead of the stark moralistic caricatures that were shown in movies made in 90s. Most people of this generation will be able to identify with the clash of attitudes with the earlier generation, the burning ambition and quest for fame, power and money, the disillusionment and even the peace that the characters make with each other and their choices.

Despite the multiple issues that Badmaash Company seeks to address, it is quite light and easy to watch. Real-life witticisms like ethnic jokes, pop feminism and friendly banter (digs at movie stardom dreams) keep us grinning as the story unfolds.