Hello Ms. Holmes
Film: Bobby Jasoos
Cast: Vidya Balan. Ali Fazal, Supriya Pathak
Directed by: Samar Shaikh
Duration: 2 hrs
Rating: * * 1 / 2
There have been a few women
centric films in the last few years and Bobby Jasoos is another addition to
that list. The success of some of those films has also prompted film makers to
take chances and think out of the box. While the script of this wanna-be Lady
Sherlock Holmes has flaws and is contrived at times, it is compensated by the
setting, lingo, characters and the leading lady.
Set in older city of Hyderabad,
Vidya Balan plays Bilkhi aka Bobby and for her gender, she has an extraordinary
profession, she is an amateur sleuth. Her family (Supriya Pathak, Tanve Azmi)
are just about okay with it but Papa (Rajendra Gupta) always has a grumpy face.
Bobby is a woman on a mission-
come what may, she will do as she pleases and is aiming to become the top
detective in Charminar city.
While she takes on the odd assignment, one
day, a mysterious man (veteran Kiran Kumar) makes a rather generous offer to search
for a girl. Like Holmes, Bobby uses various disguises from a beggar to a
astrologer to track the girl and when that task is completed, a new one follows
making her suspicious about the identity and intention of her client.
Since romance is a mandatory element in our films, Ali Fazal
plays a television anchor who falls for Bobby and their chemistry makes up for
the more entertaining parts of the film.
While the ancillary components like the flavor of Hyderabad
- the narrow lanes, street side Biryani, the famous monuments of the city like
the Charminar and the hustle bustle of the surrounding markets is well
captured, the plot per se hits a few road blocks. The element of suspense and
intrigue is surely not going to enthuse Holmes, Poirot or Byomkesh Bakshi fans.
While actors like Tanve Azmi, Supriya Pathak and Zarina
Wahab lend a lot of credibility, sadly, their roles are limited. Arjan Bajwa’s
character is more of a caricature and barring the leading lady, the others look
undercooked.
It is good to see Kiran Kumar
back in action and Ali Fazal is likable. Vidya Balan is perfect for the role
and carries the film ably on her shoulders.
On the whole, Bobby Jasoos doesn’t realize its potential but it is not a
bad outing at all.
Published in The Navhind Times on 6th July 2014
No comments:
Post a Comment