Movie Review: Dostana (Hindi) 81

Genre: Comedy/ Drama

‘Happy and Gay’ has now become fashionable with Karan Johar’s latest. Although the movie doesn’t really show either character really being gay, it has definitely capitalized on the wave of hype that it could generate. While it may have been typical to say that Men could drool over a stunning Priyanka and the ladies get to see John nearly entirely, a glossed and garnished looking and well packaged Dostana now offers a choice.

Miami based Sam (Abhishek Bachchan) and Kunal (John Abraham) zero in on an apartment one whose landlady (Sushmita Mukherjee) is worried about renting it to boys while her young niece Neha (Priyanka Chopra) lived there. Desperate for a living space, the duo pretend to be gay to quell the aunt’s fears. As ‘Jaane Kyun’ plays on, the three become thickest of friends, but unbeknownst to her, the men have fallen for the girl.

Destiny brings her a new boss, Bobby Deol at her fashion magazine publishing house. Although she hates him for taking the job she had slogged for, she soon finds herself falling for the typical gentleman that he is. Sam and Kunal sense trouble in their own triangular race and jump into the love plot. Amidst the gay melee, a confused Kirron Kher as Sam’s Mother finds herself nearly accepting Kunal and blesses the couple!

For those reeling under the deluge of cheap comedies of recent times, Dostana’s clean fun means that you can watch it with your family. It may have its unoriginal moments, like that of Sam being a male nurse a la Adam Sandler’s Gaylord M Focker, but there is nothing to complain about comedy. However in the second half, the film though loses the enthusiasm and ends up becoming your typical drama of many men wooing the girl.

Riding on her success with a powerful performance in Fashion, a toned down Priyanka Chopra looks her best; maybe the alleged facial surgery helped! Abhishek Bachchan still can’t act but Dostana is among his better performances. John only job was to be barely clothed. The weakest link in the chain is Bobby Deol and the constricted look on his face. Kirron Kher and Boman Irani’s loud histrionics contribute significantly to the laughs.

While Bollywood has still not reached the bold destination of Brokeback, this small step can still precede a new creed of scripts. Coming from a moviemaker who dared to show a different story on commercial scale in Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna, I wouldn’t be surprised if Karan Johar really comes up with a gay theme with his usual celebrity star cast! Till then, Dostana would go down as a sweet movie that played on the fringes of going gay!

Rating: 6/10 – A totally comic first half and a predictable second half