Taxi Number 9211 has a fascinating concept without doubt, thankfully itis interestingly handled as well. Of course, there’s no denying that the film has its share of loose ends, but the light moments and the sequence of events keep you engrossed for most part of the first half mainly.
The movie is about two men on a collision course -- Raghav Shastri (Nana Patekar), crotchety cab driver, and Jay Mittal (John Abraham), rich brat thwarted from his inheritance. Mittal hires Shastri’s cab on the most important day of his life, the last day of the hearing on his father’s will.
Shastri has been pretending to his wife that he’s an insurance salesman, in the presumably mistaken belief that driving a cab is a humbler profession. Quick to blow a fuse and too fond of his booze, this is Shastri’s last chance to make good, having gone through more than 23 jobs. He also needs to pay 30, 000 rupees ($675) by the end of the day or lose his cab.
Loosely inspired by Changing Lanes, Taxi has an interesting premise, a theme that hasn’t been attempted in Bollywood earlier. With a novel theme as its USP, the director has packed the narrative with a series of interesting incidents that would bring a smile on your face.But there’s no denying that it would’ve emerged as a foolproof entertainer had the writing been consistent all through. While the first half has several arresting moments, the pace slackens in the post-interval portions .Also, the film would’ve had a better impact had the length of the second half been concise.Cinematography is alright. Dialogues are the highpoint of the enterprise.
Talking of performances, both Nana and John vie for top honors. The general perception about Nana is that he looks best in roles that demand intensity, but the actor is a delight to watch in a role that requires him to be witty all the while.John is simply adorable!Sonali is first-rate yet again.
Taxi is more of a big city film that is bound to do exceptionally well at multiplexes.