Bbuddah is a sweet trip down memory lane, a viewing experience that every Bollywood fan should undergo to concede that the ORIGINAL SHEHANSHAH can still carry a film on his able shoulders.
The casting in the beginning is quite lacklustre but the film literally opens with a bang, infact a double one and after that takes off on a level of its own. Interestingly the movie is not an amateurish job to cash in on the Bachchan persona but rather a nifty, well crafted and well thought out narrative that intelligently uses Bachchan and an entire fleet of competent actors to play well etched out characters.
AB’s entry is warm and stylish and one settles back comfortably in the recliner to view him once he gets past the immigration department at the Mumbai airport. The story is baschandru021y about the " kachra" or the scum that the underbelly of the city has become and which ACP Sonu Sood proclaims to clear out, come what may. He has a love interest in Sonal Chauhan who initially spurns his adoration but later gives after AB does the setting.
Amidst the love track, thankfully edited to just the right amount, is the primary bone of contention between the law and the outlaw. There is a Mafia outfit headed by Prakash Raj, supported by Makrand Deshpande and others who are out to anhilate the ACP and thus end his daring threats. AB reveals quite early on that the dashing Sonu Sood is his biological son and the rest of the film is the father’s Tom and Jerry show to save his son and unlike the proverbial Abhimanyu(who entered the chakra to save his father) its the BAAP here who makes a grand entry into the enemy camp and proceeds to overthrow it, with a lot of humor and some more style and action.
Coming to the performances, can’t really beat AB, can you. He can be convincing in any role and when the role is tailor made for him, an extension of his suave persona, he only GLITTERS in it. Raveena as his ex love interest(who’s had a crush on him for ages) is quite over the top but is merely portraying what her character demands. She is looking gorgeous and gives her 18 yr old daughter enough competition.
But its the daughter Charmee Kaur who steals your heart with her amazingly mobile face and heartfelt acting as a natural teenager whos best friends with AB(Viju) and Sonal Chauhan and can’t really understand whose daughter she is!! She is a revelation. Sonal is lissome but comparitively pales besides her radiant friend.
Sonu stands tall in all departments and has a meaty role. He fits the bill and even looks similar enough to AB to warrant being his son. Hema Malini as his mother has no real dialogues but leaves some impact with her soulful eyes full of being betrayed by AB, esp in the scene where she meets him at the coffee shop.
Prakash Raaj as the villain is AWESOME. After a long time here is a real villain who impresses you. No overacting, nothing.He just leaves a searing impact(Wanted Series and now Bbuddah). One actor whose films I will look forward to definitely.
The Item No GO MEERA GO is just so cute. There are 4 tracks played in it and its such a treat watching Amitabh shake a leg and his entire rhythmic lean frame with the ITEM MAAL foreign girls in the track. For the entire 6.5 mins he holds the stage and ;leaves the audience asking for more.
The entire film, esp the Go Meera Go track is a beautiful trip down Nostalgia Lane. When the para on "SARA ZAMANA" played during the medley, what flashed before my eyes was the intense and magnetic screen presence of AB in his youthful days that held teh entire stadium spellbound. Its little nuggets like this that flash the glorious past before you that make the movie worthwhile.
In totality, its an entertaining film and leaves you with a warm and fuzzy feeling, much like opening up a much thumbed album of family pics that fills you with nostalgia and sweet memories and also admiration for the man who still has enoug stamina to make ME wanna say " Buddha Hoga TerA Baap)....:))
*His flamboyant wardrobe complete with flowered waistcoats and tigered jeans add to the X FACTOR! Yes he is Old and so he plays his age, the father of a grown up man! If he still has the charisma, lets give the lovable old man his due!!
*And yes, why the 3 watches?? 1 paris time, 1 india time and 1-Tera time aa gaya re, isiliye! Beep Beep@#$%^&^&&