TAXI No. 9211 tells the story of two individuals who had nothing in common but still fate got them together...and the life was never the same again!
Raghav [Nana] was witty but his wit was always soaked in sarcasm. He doubled up as an insurance salesman along with his profession as a cabbie a.k.a. taxi driver. He met numerous characters in his daily walk of life. Some good, some bad, some crooked, some irritating and some who boarded his cab with a definite purpose and deadline to meet.
Jai [John]was one such man who boarded Raghav’s cab with such a definite purpose. In sharp contrast to Raghav, he was a richie rich who was looking at inheriting his family’s fortunes. The only thing trait he shared with Raghav? He too had a sharp tongue!
On a particular day, each of the two meet on a road to achieve something that was the most important thing for them in their life...
Although the film has its share of deficiencies -- it loses balance in the post-interval portions -- it appeals primarily because Milan Lutharia gets our juices running. Besides, Milan and his team of writers have juxtaposed drama and comedy in an enterprise that grips you completely in the first hour, but the hold loosens [slightly] in the subsequent hour.
The script isn’t faulty as such, but the film veers into cliché-ridden situations after its exciting interval. The twists and turns in the second half do catch you by surprise, but the execution of those sequences is so Hollywood-like that the Indian moviegoer wouldn’t find them as impactful. Also -- this is important -- Lutharia seems to have concentrated more on frames and visuals that it often overpowers the material.
Taxi seeks its basic inspiration from the Hollywood film but director has Indianized the plot in such a manner that the basic plot is very identifiable.
The first half is well built and the chemistry between Nana and John is amongst the most watchable aspects of the enterprise. Milan treats those sequences delicately and the impact that the sequences create establish a strong ground for the drama that is to follow. The sequence between Nana and Sonali, when the latter walks out in a huff, or the one on the train station when Sonali enquires about his job lift the film to an all-time high.
The interval point is brilliantly executed as well, it leaves you spellbound. Even the subsequent portions -- when John is completely distraught -- only add to the impact of a razor-sharp first hour.
The film boasts of just two songs -- ’Meter’ and ’Ek nazar’ -- and both come at the right places, thereby enhancing the impact. In fact, the placement of ’Meter’ at the end of the story is just perfect. It is very MTVish, in terms of composition, rendition and picturization.
Cinematography is fantastic. The lensman doesn’t cover the scenic beauty of Bombay as much as the other side that the city has to offer. Dialogues are well worded at places. The stunts, in minimal doses, are very realistic.
To state that Nana is the lifeline of Taxi would be putting it mildly. The actor has portrayed a wide variety of roles in his illustrious career and Undeniably, Taxi is another ace for him!
John’s role doesn’t have much meat, but the actor doesn’t seem overawed by the veteran’s towering presence. He holds on his own, although one sincerely hoped that the writer wouldn’t have relegated him to the backseat.
Sonali is excellent. The actor finally gets an opportunity to be a part of a commercial set up and the work output is topnotch. Her confrontation with Nana initially is superb .Sameera is strictly okay.
worth a ride!