Talking about the so called remake status of THE SHAUKEENS first, its actually not a remake of any original Hindi project, since even Basu Chatterjee made his 1982 classic SHAUKEEN taking all clear inspirations from an English film titled BOYS NIGHT OUTreleased in 1962. In addition it also cannot be called as a true remake as the latest version follows a much bold path both in visual and verbal terms. Plus it also adds another fresh plot interfering into the script hampering its original enjoyable spirit to a large extent.
Honestly I was pretty excited to watch THE SHAUKEENS due to its three veterans and the exclusive feature that its story-screenplay-dialogues were written by one of my favourite writer-actor-director Tigmanshu Dhulia. But unfortunately post a fine first hour and a few surprising insertions like a (wasted) cameo of Rati Agnihotri and a song from Anu Malik, the film turned out to be way below expectations, mainly because of the deliberate twists added in its second half. So till intermission it remains a good time pass with a few enjoyable sequences and performances covering up the shortcoming of an overstretched screenplay.
However as the second half begins, the film starts walking on an entirely different (and downward) path, completely hijacked by Akshay Kumar himself, who was actually supposed to be there in a cameo, but probably changed his mind being the co-producer of the film too unexpectedly. Akshay begins well taking potshots on the Industry and its 'crore clubs'. But then starts taking too much space on the screen ignoring the three main heroes of the film quite strangely. Perhaps the makers forgot that the USP of this particular film happened to be the three middle aged men searching for a girl and not anything else to say it all.
Anyhow due to this big miscalculated move, the film fails to pick up in its later reels, ending on another flat note all of sudden and surprisingly has many vulgar dialogues too which frankly were not expected from both Tigmanshu Dhulia and the director Abishek Sharma who superbly directed an all clean, entertaining comedy movie called TERE BIN LADEN in the past. Also I would like to mention here a particular sequence in the film, wherein before going to Malaysia, Piyush Mishra is shown coming out of Delhi's OSHO WORLD shop situated at ANSAL PLAZA holding a five CD set of "Sambhog Se Samadhi Ki Ore" in his hands. Now its quite evident that many in the country as well as abroad still associate OSHO with the word SEX showing their uneducated and underdeveloped state of mind quite clearly. But why Tigmanshu and Abishek added this specific scene into the film is really doubtful and it strongly makes me think that, "Did the two talented film-makers intend to make fun of those unaware section of people who still ignorantly associate the mystic master OSHO with SEX or they both themselves are a part of those silly mindsets still playing with the same ridiculous ideas about OSHO even in 2014?" I will definitely try to find the answer to this question if I happen to meet them ever in the future but anyway returning back to the film, its soundtrack offers a mixed bag with two catchy and two awfully rotten numbers like "Ishq Kutta" and "Alcoholic"
what kind of songs were these really, I failed to understand. Placed in New Delhi and Mauritius, its cinematography doesn't offer anything great and the same can be said about its background score and editing too which actually makes the film a bit lazy and stretched unnecessarily at regular intervals.
So what's there in the film that it can be watched once? - It's the cute acts of three fantastic actors Anupam Kher, Annu Kapoor and Piyush Mishra playing the three sex-starved men looking for girls. Anupam plays it subtly but brilliantly (once again) along with Piyush expressing it wildly (he is a delight to watch). But the lead here is taken by Anu Kapoor enacting the bachelor Casanova with a bindaas touch, being their 'all knowing' leader of the expedition And the three put up a great show for the viewers in their scenes together. Lisa Haydon is just fine lacking that sensuality even in her almost none clothes and Cyrus Broacha is good but doesn't get much to do in his limited scenes post interval.
Concluding the write up, yes you can watch THE SHAUKEENS once for the three veterans, but I personally wished to see them much more in the film than presented. In other words, I was there to watch these three exceptionally talented actors in the film from the first frame to the last and not any big actor-producer coming in to take all the limelight, ruining it all. And I really wish THE SHAUKEENS was made focusing on the three Shaukeens only and not anything else just for the sake of it.
Hence give it a try if you wish but in case you haven't seen the earlier Basu Chatterjee's highly inspired but classic version of 1982 then go for it as a must and have a great time with Ashok Kumar, A. K. Hangal and Utpal Dutt playing the dirty trio.
