Before writing anything else, let me tell you, this movie is a comedy all the way from start to end. Also has to warn you that this is not a film for which you have to go with your brain. No need of that, because if you go with your brain you may start ask questions and that is not good.
Plot
4 college friends (Ajay Devgan, Thushar Kapoor, Arshad Warsi & Sharman Joshi) take every chance to loot many to spend their lavish life in the hostel and to repay a big loan they have taken. Every trick in the book was tried to get money, even playing hate each other in public or collecting funds by saying the principal is sick with cancer. The four got dismissed from the college, when they sold the exam question paper to students, which they took from the principal who came to advise Lakshmi (Sharman). Circumstances land them to the house of a blind couple, played by Paresh Rawal & Sushmita Mukherji. The 4 observed that they are waiting for their grandson from US. Knowing they are blind, they decided to get into the house, acting as their grandson. By accident Paresh Rawal touches Laksmi, but he was not confident of handling the situation and Gopal (Ajay) did the dialogues. The rest two are always around to keep the confusion (or comedy). Sanjay Mishra have a diamond interest in the blind couple couple as well, since some of their diamonds are with the blind couple which they leave with them to escape from the customs (the couple is not aware of that). Rimi Sen is the neighbor of the blind couple and the 4 is deewana hue paagal against Rimi. The story ends where all things are sorted out and Rimi express her love interest and the blind couple punishes the 4. It is up to you to watch out for more.
Plus Points
Very good dialogues, competent acting, some excellent situations where comedy executed in it’s beauty and laugh a minute comic scenes in rest of the body.
Performance
The Comedy King of Today, Paresh Rawal is restricted to an average role, without any chance for him to do the comedy, where rest of the comrades took the challenge. Still, his acting was quite adequate. Sushmita Mukherji is ok, though her character is not convincing. The pair’s love song from the 60s is a laugh a second treat and the song stand alone from rest of the film, where the song itself is a class product but rest of the film is for masses.
Ajay Devgan has done what he is asked to do, but failed to create any major impact. Arshad Warsi has only small role to do and he did it ok. Sharman Joshi excelled and Thushar Kapoor impresses. By the way, if you cut a piece of cake for 4, naturally your part will be less, right? However, the 4 combo has well mixed and give a decent stuff.
Rimi Sen has done her part convincingly, with ease.
Manoj Joshi overacted. Mukhesh Thiwari & Sanjay Mishra is quite ok, while the Vrajesh Hirjee and the person who was deputed to take on the couple by Sanjay Mishra excelled.
Music, Choreography & Sets
Music is quite ordinary. Choreography is good. The first Garam Masla song has done with full intentions. Cinematography is excellent in some parts and average in other parts. Sets are quite adequate.
Kitchdi (Story/Screenplay/Direction)
The film is based on Priyadarsan’s Malayalam film Kakkakuyil, where Mohalal & Mukhesh plays the lead role. However, the film was not a success in Malayalam and the producers has made it as a point to give much modification to it, especially after knowing that bollywood will not accept melodrama in between comedy. Neeraj Vohra, the main writer of Priyadarsan films, has taken all what is available with him to make the film entertaining. In the final product the skelton of the story is kept and rest everything is removed and filled the body with parts of many other films. I can make a kitchdi out of the combination of scenes taken in the film.
35% Kakkakkuyil
30% Deewana Hue Pagal
15% Phir Hera Pheri
10% Chup Chup Ke
3% CID Moosa (Cartoons)
2% Hulchul
2% Chandralekha
3% others
While I said it is a distant remake, it can also be labeled as a sequel, which is the order of the day. It can well describe as a sequel to Deewana Hue Pagal, keeping the leading lady in place.
The problem of making a kitchdi is it will take off the merits of its components which will become not usable. For example, there had good comic situations in Kakkakkuyil, but they have not used it in the film, but depended on other plots. If Neha was doing a void dubbing for Kareena in Chup Chup Ke, the writer doesn’t even bothered to give a voice dubbing, but give background dubbing to the tune of Thushars IAEOU vowel speech. And the description of places through action also done quite frequently (I have to admit people were laughing all out for all these sensless mix of comedy). The missing of Diamonds, villain sending people to get it and fall into danger and the guns the gang hold, all will remind you of Phir Hera Pheri. The blind deaf mute game is here to stay - I suppose.
However, why to care, as there are comedy for laugh for those who are ready to laugh without a brain?
However, it is neither good for the growth of bollywood films, nor for Neeraj Vohra. The writer who penned wonderfully for films like Virasat, Hera Pheri & Chup Chup Ke gone back a long way. The writer has to be control himself to give the best out of him.
The director however is very impressive and he made people laugh all the way, even though he has selected some buffoonery and some non veg to giggle people out. Considering Rohit is new in the comedy department, it is very impressive and if he selects his plot correctly, the director has a capacity to come out big in future. All applaud to him.
Conclusion/audience reaction
Overall, Golmal is a joyride. The first word of the film is Golmaal and people started laughing. This is definitely a comedy film worth a watch, if you don’t mind watching mindless comedy. To make things easier, I will ask few questions and it will clear to you. If you like Phir Hera Pheri than Chup Chup Ke, this film is for you. It go right in the way Phir Hera Pheri goes. If you not liked Phir Hera Pheri your chances of liking this movie is limited. Considering Phir Hera Pheri got a big initial because it was a sequel, this film may not generate such an opening, but it is definitely a better film than Phir Hera Pheri. There are several sequences which generate good laugh. The audience is laughing all the way from the beginning and unless some bad luck hit in some form, bollywood is going to laugh for Golamaal too.
Looks like 2006 will be a great year for Bollywood.