No Problem - Movie Review

Starring: Anil Kapoor, Sanjay Dutt, Akshaye Khanna, Sushmita Sen, Kangna Ranaut
Director: Anees Bazmee
Producer: Eros Entertainment, Anil Kapoor Films Company, Spice Enfotainment
Music: Sajid-Wajid, Pritam, Anand Raj Anand
Releasing: December 10th 2010

The one thing I've observed in Anees Bazmee's movies is that the plotline may be bizarre and outlandish, but each of his films has stood tall on the entertainment quotient. Perhaps, that's one of the reasons why his movies have struck a chord with a big chunk of moviegoers [read the hardcore masses]. The heroic triumph of NO ENTRY, WELCOME and SINGH IS KINNG endorses this statement.

The most difficult thing is to make people roll with laughter and that's precisely what Bazmee does in film after film, for viewers of all ages. Follow these three mantras religiously, while watching an Anees Bazmee film: Don't seek logic, don't ask questions and just keep your thinking cap outside the theatre. You need to follow these rules while watching NO PROBLEM as well. Unfortunately, Bazmee's latest outing is so mind-numbingly dull that you wonder how could he come up with such a soulless and charmless film.

NO PROBLEM doesn't have a smart plot, theek hain, no problem. But the bigger problem is it doesn't have those genuinely funny sequences and crackling dialogue either that you associate with the accomplished director's films. Honestly, I never expect to watch a path-breaking story in his films, but I do expect them to deliver hearty laughs, which NO PROBLEM doesn't. In the past, in films like NO ENTRY, WELCOME and SINGH IS KINNG, Bazmee had handled the multiple characters with aplomb, but the writing is so inconsistent this time that one has to actually struggle to stay attentive.



Final word? NO PROBLEM is meant to be a crowd-pleaser, but, sadly, it lacks those clever one-liners, bursting-with-energy sequences and amusing goings-on to make your two hours in the cineplex worthwhile. NO PROBLEM has a huge problem: It fails to entertain!

Yash [Sanjay Dutt] and Raj [Akshaye Khanna] are small-time crooks and childhood buddies. Raj wants to lead an honest life, but Yash always manages to do something that jeopardizes Raj's chances of turning over a new leaf. When Yash robs the First Village Bank, the innocent bank manager, Zandulal [Paresh Rawal], also falls under suspicion, just because he had sheltered Yash and Raj under his roof.

In Durban, Arjun [Anil Kapoor] is a bungling cop, married to Kajal [Sushmita Sen], the daughter of the Commissioner of Police [Shakti Kapoor]. Kajal has a split personality -- one moment she's a loving wife and mother, who, for 10 minutes every day, transforms into a terrifying maniac intent on murdering her husband.

Diamonds worth millions have been stolen from the International Diamond Centre by the gang lead by Marcos [Suniel Shetty]. Arjun is as determined to find these ruthless robbers, as Zandulal is to find the two crooks who robbed his bank. Yash and Raj try to avoid Zandulal, who does not realize that they are his neighbours.

Meanwhile, Raj falls in love with Sanjana [Kangna Ranaut], Kajal's younger sister. But just before the engagement, Zandulal threatens to expose Yash and Raj unless they return the money they stole from his bank. Cornered, Raj and Yash agree to commit one last robbery. They rob a minister's house, minutes before Marcos arrives. The minister is tortured and killed, because Marcos cannot find the stolen diamonds.



Now starts a game of hide and seek, as Arjun goes after Yash and Raj, the prime suspects in the minister's murder and Marcos also hunts them down because he's figured out that they have the diamonds. Yash and Raj must prove their innocence and also somehow or the other pay back Zandulal.

NO PROBLEM has an outrageous plot, exaggerated and overstated scenes, but unlike Bazmee's previous films, this one tries too hard to make you laugh, but fails miserably. You expect the gags and punch lines to hit you from all directions and you also expect to break into guffaws, but barring a couple of scenes, which do bring a smile on your face, you just don't react to the goings-on. In fact, the writing is the weakest link of the enterprise. It lacks in drama, it lacks in unadulterated humour and everything seems to fall into place too easily. It jumps from one sequence to another and often forgets what's tackled before, in the previous sequence. The continuity jerks are evident at a number of places, frankly.

Bazmee is flogging the age-old formulas over and over again. It worked in the past because those films were rich as far as the entertainment quotient was concerned, but it doesn't work this time around. The music is functional, with 'Mast Punjabi' being the most energetic track of the enterprise. Cinematography is eye-pleasing and the locales of South Africa are eye-filling.

Bazmee's movies bestow its actors ample scope to push their comic boundaries, but NO PROBLEM doesn't. Of the central cast, Sanju tries hard to carry off his part, Akshaye is just about okay, while Anil hits the right notes and Paresh, as always, stands out. He delivers in every sequence. Kangna is wasted, but Sushmita shows a flair for comedy. Suniel Shetty is as usual. Neetu Chandra doesn't get much scope. Shakti Kapoor is funny. Baby Saloni is okay. As for Vijay Raaz, what is he doing in this film?



Oh yes, there's a family of gorillas as well as a shoal of fish in a mini aquarium - yes, they form an integral part of this story. The gorillas appear from nowhere and save the heroes in the climax, while the fish swallow the diamonds before these gems reach the villain's hands.

On the whole, NO PROBLEM has some funny moments in the first half, but gets agonizing towards the second half. It has several problems: It lacks a cohesive screenplay, it lacks in entertainment and most importantly, the humour falls flat. NO PROBLEM is full of problems.