Genre: Comedy
Director: Sanjay Chhel
Cast: Mallika Sherawat, Paresh Rawal, Rahul Bose, Kay Kay Menon
Story: A bunch of theatre actors have to act off stage to fool the Nazi troops. Strike that Nazi word and replace it with the underworld.
Bottomline: To see or not to see is not even a question
Yes, you will laugh out loud maybe two or three times in the film but that alone is not worth your time in the hall or the money for your ticket and popcorn.
The ‘To be or not to be speech’ from Hamlet is replaced with the ‘Jab Jab Sar Zameen e Hindustaan’ speech from Mughal-E-Azam and Alan Johnson’s ‘To Be Or Not To Be’ starring Mel Brooks becomes a Sanjay Chhel’s ‘Maan Gaye Mughal E Azam’ starring Mallika Sherawat.
Honestly, it is getting increasingly tiring to catch a DVD of the original every time a Bollywood film is out, especially when there are three films releasing in a week. And Chhel’s idea of filmmaking is trying to create ‘To be or not to be’ as a tribute to ‘Jaane Bhi Do Yaaron.’
At best, Chhel’s attempt at comedy works as a stage play on a bad day. Bose is woefully miscast and even Mallika realises that the only way to save this film is to do a few liplocks by the beach and prance around in little nothings. But then again, nothing you haven’t seen before.
It’s quite tragic to see actors of the caliber of Paresh Rawal and KK Menon make a fool of themselves but then, these guys do it in style, put their soul into the silliest of roles that your heart goes out to them.
But as much as you try to like this film, it’s one hell of a job.
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