Mubarakan Movie Review: Anil-Arjun camaraderie is the only saving grace of this otherwise overworked comedy
Mubarakan is slightly anticipated among comedy buffs as it was the first time that Anil Kapoor was sharing screen space with his nephew Arjun Kapoor. Anees Bazmee as the director, added another reason to watch the film. Let me remind you, Anees Bazmee has given us a number of slapstick comic flicks like Welcome, No Entry, Singh Is King, Ready and many more. Expectations are high that this another Anees Bazmee-venture could succeed to spread the magic on the silverscreens. Despite having big names like Anil Kapoor, Arjun Kapoor, Ratna Pathak, Ileana D’Cruz and Athiya Shetty in the star cast, did Mubarakan lived up to our expectations? Let’s weigh up the Arjun Kapoor-starrer Mubarakan in this quick movie review.
Mubarakan Box-Office collection
Synopsis
The movie is based partially in London and partially in Punjab. Arjun Kapoor playing a double role in the movie, Karan and Charan, was left orphaned when his father (Played by Sanjay Kapoor) met his untimely death in a car crash. Unable to handle them alone, Kartar Singh (Anil Kapoor), who happens to be the uncle of the twins, decides to give the toddlers to his sister (Ratna Pathak) and brother (Pavan Malhotra). Everything was going as smooth as silk in his life, until their parents decide to get them hitched. The signature commotion-packed high voltage drama takes place through the entire length of the movie, with everything falling back to place in the end.
Movie Review - Mubarakan
The film starts with a lagging pace, while the star cast tries to thrust unnecessary and clichéd WhatsApp jokes in their conversations. Right from the beginning of the movie, humour is inflicted in the plot rather forcibly. Jokes are made even when the need isn’t even there and thus the hackneyed humour fails to induce laughter for a couple of minutes from the start. Anil Kapoor’s entry in the film manages to create a roar of excitement in the cinema hall, as the fan following and the love for the evergreen star cannot be overlooked. As the story unfolds, the seemingly-sorted things starts falling out of place and marks the beginning of this claustrophobic puzzle of who loves who, giving a mild déjà vu of Akshay Kumar-starrer Housefull. By the end of the first half of the movie, viewers might expect the high voltage drama to get even more exciting in the second half. But much to our surprise, the second half starts with even more haggard manner than the first. Going by the story and plot, the film was pointlessly puzzled to the point where the audience’s gaze starts to drift away. The over-stretched climax scene and the lengthiness of the movie, sends everything topsy-turvy despite having a strong star cast.
Acting
One thing is for sure, that the star cast did laudably well to carry the otherwise stale comedy on their shoulders. Two Arjun Kapoors have given their acting best to add a bit of the funny side to the film. We’ve been wondering where the actor has hidden his penchant for comedy up till now. Arjun Kapoor shined as both Charan and Karan, provided that both the twin brothers are shown to have strikingly different personalities. Ileana D’Cruz, seen third time in a comic role after Phata Poster Nikla Hero and Main Tera Hero, proves her hands-on expertise with comic roles. Her bossy-girlfriend demeanour manages to do justice to her role. But then comes Anil Kapoor, who’s the show-stealer of the movie. Every time he’s on the screen, one couldn’t look out for anyone else but Mr. Kapoor. Anil Kapoor, being veteran when it comes to comic roles, triggers a laughter riot with his rollicking acting. It won’t be an overstatement to say that Anil Kapoor as Kartar Singh is adding colours to the movie when the idiocy levels of comedy rises up to unbearable levels. Anil Kapoor and Arjun Kapoor camaraderie is notable in this film which will make the audience crave for more of this combo in coming movies. Athiya Shetty and Neha Sharma getting too little to do in the movie still performed well in their respective roles.
Fashion buffs are going to get a visual treat in the Anees Bazmee-directorial as Ileana D’Cruz and Athiya Shetty’s costumes are spot on. Ranging from the western attires containing chic trench coats to traditional ensemble, the leading actresses were a visual delight.
The film is a family entertainment movie. But if you’re looking for a substance in Bollywood movie, then Mubarakan is certainly not the movie you should watch. But for the sake of Anil-Arjun camaraderie, it’s a must watch and yet a one-time watch.