Mahartahi ***

STARRING
Paresh Rawal, Neha Dhupia, Naseeruddin Shah, Om Puri, Boman Irani, Tara Sharma, Vivek Shauq and others.
DIRECTION
Shivam Nair
STORY
The story of the film revolves around the character of Subhash (Paresh Rawal), who has been struggling for the last ten years to get acting assignments in films, but to no avail. He survives on small cheatings that he inflicts on unsuspecting victims.However, Paresh’s life changes when he saves the life of Mr. Adenwalla( Naseeruddin Shah) without caring for his own life. He goes to Naseeruddin’s home to drop him as the latter was injured. But Paresh was shocked when he saw the grandeur and opulence of Naseer’s house. Paresh thinks that he will get a handsome tip from the owner of the house but instead he gets offer of a job. Now, he becomes Naseer’s driver and accompanies him everywhere. But Naseer’s wife Mallika Adenwalla (Neha Dhupia) resents this proximity.Gradually, Paresh comes to know that Mallika Adenwalla wants to usurp all money and property of Mr Adenwalla and does not have any interest in him. Mr Adenwalla, too, knows this fact about his wife and ultimately throws her in a catch 22 situation.Sensing a chance of getting out from his financial penury for ever, Paresh enters into an agreement with Mallika Adenwalla to usurp the property of Mr. Adenwalla. He arranges for a caretaker (Tara Sharma) with the help of family lawyer Boman Irani to act as a witness. What happens to Paresh’s plans and what happens to Mallika after all this, forms the rest of the story.
PERFORMANCE
Naseeruddin Shah, who plays the character of rich person Mr. Adenwala, excels in his role. He successfully enacts the hurt emotions of a man who had married his film’s heroine and now suffering due to her. However, his suicide in the end, to teach Neha a lesson, does not seem convincing. Paresh Rawal, who essays the character of Subhash, is first rate and leaves nothing to be desired. His depiction of different mood in his character is just superb.Boman Irani, who plays the character of lawyer, is in his elements. He is complete natural. But in the end his character increases confusion than solving the problem. Neha Dhupia, who plays the wife Mallika Adenwala, has considerably improved her histrionic ability. Om Puri does not get much of scope to show his histrionics but has done well whatever he could get in the bargain. Tara Sharma passes the muster, while others provide able support to the main cast of the film.The direction of Shivam Nair is fairly good, but he seems to be handicapped by a loose screenplay. The plot could have been great for a Gujarati play, which has been popular for the last twenty years but cinema is a different medium and needs a different type of screenplay. None the less, the director has shot the film very well.There is only one song in the film and that’s too a promotional track in the end. However, cinematography is superb.
STARDUST VERDICT
Despite of superlative performances by Paresh Rawal, Naseeruddin Shah and Neha Dhupia, the film seems to be handicapped by the lack of a convincing and arresting script. None the less, the film has an interesting casting and curiosity value which should help it at the box office. Above average fare.
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