Salman Khan Fan Website

Cast: Sanjay Dutt, Ajay Devgan, Fardeen Khan, Bipasha Basu, Mughda Godse

Supposedly based on an American play Right Bed Wrong Husband, Rohit Shetty’s All The Best is modeled as a comedy of mistaken identities finding its desi-siblings in Hrishikesh Mukherjee’s Chukpe Chupke and Anees Bazmee’s No Entry. Though not as simple as the former or smart as latter, the comedy still clicks with its unstable blend of story, style, sense, slapstick and stunts.

Despite their love for each other, Veer (Fardeen Khan) and Vidya (Mughda Godse) strangely prefer pretending as a wedded duo (over getting married) to get their monthly pocket money from NRI brother Dharam (Sanjay Dutt). Dharma unexpectedly lands in India and mistakes Jhanvi (Bipasha Basu) as Vidya. Jhanvi’s husband Prem (Ajay Devgan) is compelled to cook up continual story to conceal the con.

Mughda Godse shocks in the opening scene with a ’sari’ state-of-affairs. Fardeen looks fat and Ajay Devgan tries too hard to look cool in cartoon t-shirts and fine-tuned facial hair only to be mistaken by Sanjay Dutt as a driver (not his fault). With his trademark tendency to exaggerate action in the film, Rohit Shetty does Golmaal in the script stuffing a mandatory car-race sequence. Fardeen Khan’s rock-band track doesn’t contribute to the narrative at all and the following fight sequence is visibly forced.

Nevertheless the humour works since the treatment is not fully farcical but also has a plot primarily focused on mistaken identities. The screenplay by Robin Bhatt and Yunus Sejawal does resort to intermediate slapstick but the comic timing of characters and the spontaneity in their animated acts keeps the spark live. The gags range from some silly and stretched ones to some fresh and funny lines. The title track is groovy but beyond that Pritam’s music doesn’t stay with you.

The caricatured characterizations of the supporting cast are amusing. After being the only endurable character from last year’s slapstick One Two Three where he imitated yesteryear villain Jeevan, Sanjay Mishra attempts aping Pran this time to equally hilarious outcome. Ashwini Kalsekar as the Madrasi maid is loud but laugh-inducing. For a pleasant change, Johnny Lever plays a mute mafia don and you don’t mind his histrionics when he gains his vocal chords in the climax. Vinay Patkar as his interpreter is funny and so in Atul Parchure.

Rohit Shetty continues his brand of chaos, confusion and commotion in the bulletproof climax. While that’s still acceptable, what’s absolutely uncalled for in this madness is an African clone of Bipasha Basu that figures out from nowhere and only invites idiocy and ridicule towards the end.

From the cast, Sanjay Dutt is the scene-stealer with his impeccable coming timing and expressive repartees. He looks fresh and one can sense him enjoy playing his part, unlike some of his recent releases where he appears dull and disinterested. Fardeen’s character seems straight out of No Entry and thankfully he does equally well. Ajay Devgan has a standard set of expressions for comedies, which he uses effectively. Bipasha Basu looks cute in those frocks and frills and plays her part well. Mughda Godse has less screen-time and screen-presence than the side-comedians.

All The Best is the best bet this Diwali.