Namastey London - Say hello to Fun!
A British brat meets a Funjabi boy in Namastey London! Director Vipul Shah had a passable run at the box-office with Waqt-The Race Against Time. Keeping Akshay Kumar as his constant lucky mascot, he swaps Priyanka out for the very suitable half English, half Kashmiri beauty Katrina Kaif. While Akshay and Katrina’s last feature Hum Ko Deewana Kar Gaye was tepid, their on-screen chemistry was not! Let’s see if the pair can flare up the screen once more!
A full on Romantic Comedy with all the romance and laughter you can ask for, Namastey London greets NRI’s with a topic close to home. Writer Suresh Nair develops one of the better screenplays of his neoteric career that can be prided on its freshness in appeal.
Granted if you hear a basic sketch on the array of issues the film uncovers, it’ll seem similar to stories seen before or in fact have a lot in common with a more recent film, Mira Nair’s The Namesake. But it’s interpretation on pressing issues as being an ABCD, the pressures of marriage, and inter-racial dating, are hilarious! The take is entirely different, all the while still able to pass along messages that lay in the theme. Incorporated in the script are: India-Pakistan friendship alliance, patriotism, and a slight clash in the ways of a Punjabi farmer boy and British wild child.
A balanced entertainer, one of the few ways this film could disappoint is if you’re imaging the story to be something its not. A story where a village boy meets a city girl and the differences in their lifestyles and how he adapts are relayed in a comical way. That’s not the story. However, at the very least, whatever your expectations, it’ll still tickle your funny bone.
Full of vibrancy, Shah keeps the film moving with an influx of energy in the first half. However too many songs and some unnecessary scenes in the second half deviate the otherwise smooth pace. Dance choreography is notable and the variation in Himesh Reshammiya’s nasally tone is improved. Lyrics by Javed Akhtar present the right mood and bring about an untapped ability in the music director. Cinematography and art direction are in full form, showing the best of royal London and charming India.
The story, acting, and above all casting are on point! Vipul Shah does an excellent job of extracting the most from his actors. Although to the credit of the actors, their roles couldn’t have been performed better by anyone else. Katrina, Akshay, and Rishi Kapoor’s roles seem tailor-made, as the film just wouldn’t be the same without them.
After a spout of average characters, this is Rishi Kapoor’s most recognizable character of late. He’s in to the skin of the character and makes a commendable impact. Scoring above the Deol Jatt-brothers, Akshay Kumar has the most suitable combination of Punjabi genes and acting skill to play his ‘funjabi’ character. He makes quite the entrance and is raw in his enactment. Post his London arrival, the character calls for a sensitive personality change, which he does in a very Shah Rukh, Kal Ho Na Ho manner. Katrina Kaif has come a very long way since her BOOM debut. It’s hard to say it’s even the same amateur. Although the character of Jazz is the perfect fit for her background, the livelihood, brattiness, and child-like vulnerability she brings in, make all the difference. Succeeding in making her character hot, adorable, and full of playful innocence all at once. Very well done for this enchanting beauty who’s not a stone face to watch, but an evolving actress. As for others; Upen Patel has a brief role in which he gets major points for body and style but only mediocre points for performance, Ritesh Deshmukh who kicks the film off with a special appearance is a delight, Nina Wadia as Rishi Kapoor’s wife delivers the right mix of emotion and laughter, and Javed Sheikh is effective. Clive Standon is classy, getting the job done.
Patriotic, romantic, humorous, and above all FUN is the best way to sum up Namastey London. You’ll have fun and won’t regret watching it! Namastey London wins Ritu’s heart with a solid 3 ½ stars!
Katrina and Akshay definitely hit the bulls-eye once again! Get out there and become a little Funjabi and discover the fun for yourself!