Let's start with the most important question-Is this a bollywood version of GOAL (2005) starting Kuno Becker? Well, it's definitely a no. And now to the other important question-is it as gripping as its Hollywood counterpart-the answer again is no! But that doesn't mean that DHAN DANA DHAN GOAL isn't watchable. It's an average movie with some interesting sequences.
Set in London (and in particular the South Asian hub Southall), the story revolves around a bankrupt football club-SOUTHALL FC which is struggling to keep itself afloat. It has no sponsors and no money and hasn't won a match in nearly two decades!!! None of its players are professionals but a bunch of full-time dads, butcher shop owner, garage owners etc. It is completely made up of expatriate Indians, Pakistanis and Bangladeshis. Adding to their woes is a greedy commentator cum businessman, played by Dilip Tahil, who wants to grab the ground of the football club to build a shopping mall and theme park. To sum it up the club is in dire straits and the only way of survival is to win their League Championship and get the prize of 3 Million Pounds!!! Really a tough ask for Southall FC.
Thus the story revolves around the resurrection of the football club through a former player of its-played by Boman Irani. This time he takes the mantle of the coach after living in wilderness for 22 years!! Arshad Warsi and John Abraham are the key players of the club around which the team revolves.Bipasha plays the team's doctor.
The main problem with this movie, in my opinion, is that it tries to pack a lot in those reels and that stretches it rather close to 3 hours. That wasn't required. The basic premises is right but the execution isn't. Some sequences are good-like the one that involves Boman Irani trying to convince John Abraham to play for Southall FC. The final match is another sequence that stays with you. I am not too convinced with the racism angle involving John Abraham. And especially, in today's time when an iconic club of England-Arsenal doesn't have one English player in its starting line-up!!! The picturisation is good. The locales of England are something that we bollywood fans have grown use to. But the sequence involving the home ground of Manchester United will please a lot of serious soccer fans! All the performances in the movie are good. John's soccer skills are very very fine! Arshad Warsi and Boman Irani are good too. Bipasha is just there-nothing spectacular on her part! Overall 6/10. Not Too exciting!!
