Just when you have given up on Hindi films after the last round of disastrous flicks like Holiday, Aksar and Fight club, there comes a film that restores your faith in Bollywood.
Taxi 9211 is a unique plot executed without compromising too much on the three must-haves of Hindi films --- songs, three hours and gaping holes in the plot.
Nana Patekar, is the regular hot-tempered specimen you find on the roads with a tongue that has a Masters in lashing. One day, he gets an equally venomous passenger, John Abraham -- the proverbial prodigal son and the heir to a Rs 300-crore fortune. But he will lose his empire if he doesn’t reach the court in time and present his case. John knows that time and court won’t wait for him. So he asks Nana to jump the signal. He jumps the signal, but bumps into a car.
John, who abetted the crash, flees the scene and the driver is in the jail. Nana declares war and what follows is a thrilling chase
Taxi 9211 defies all the rules of commercial Hindi cinema. The plot doesn’t lose sight of its goal and refuses to get side-tracked into mindless romance or songs. Conceived and executed like a taut ride, Taxi 9211 is an impressive breakaway from the cliché ridden formula filmmaking that afflicts Bollywood.
The credit for this belongs to director Milan Lutharia and his team. He is in completely in control of the film, whether it is in the dramatic sequences or developing the chemistry among the cast.
As Raghu, Nana has turned in one of the finest performances of his career. He pulls off the most ludicrous situations with credibility and style. In a role that changes colours, he is glorious. Not to say that the others are overshadowed by his presence. John holds his own in every scene. He brush-offs with Nana are dramatic and he brings a quiet intelligence and depth to his role.
The chemistry between him and Nana is delightful.
Sameera looks good, has a good body and a good screen presence but falls flat, partly due to poor characterisation. She is the only role that appears half-baked and she only makes it worse.
Sonali’s role of deserves an extra round of applause. She is a treat.
However, the film has its fair share of flaws. The pace tends to sag intermittently and the final comes as an anti-climax to the expectation built during the 1st half.
But in all, Taxi 9211 is different from your usual Hindi flick. It is a fast paced, slick flick, a species rarely encountered in the annals of the Hindi film industry.