Rascals

Cast: Sanjay Dutt, Ajay Devgn, Kangna Ranaut, Arjun Rampal, Chunky Pandey, Satish Kaushik

Directed by David Dhawan

Rating: *

Brand David Dhawan has always urged moviegoers to leave their brains at home. It's easy to pick a hole at this suggestion, who packs to go watch a movie, anyway? But assuming this was possible, can the remaining organs collectively make his movies an enjoyable experience? This is clearly an open debate for another forum. For now, 'Rascals' is yet another from the Dhawan stable that sticks to the staple ingredients that make his films what they're known for: silly gags, women in minimal clothing and rhyming one-liners which are usually insults. Having said that, don't expect anything more or less than just that from this one.

The film features conmen Chetan Chauhan (Sanjay Dutt) and Bhagat Bhosle (Ajay Devgn) who both spend some time conning others and then each other before landing up in Bangkok. Here, between trying to one-up each other, idiotically duping locals and some in-film branding for Pan Pacific Hotel, they bump into Khushi (Kangna Ranaut), a millionaire without a cause. Khushi's flippant attitude towards her immeasurable wealth (she keeps aimlessly signing cheques worth crores of rupees) and her perfectly toned body instantly draw our despicable duo towards her.

Naturally, our already competing rascals try every prank in the book to malign, seriously injure or ridicule each other, to win Khushi's attention and interest. The odd part of this sleaze contest is that neither of them seems to know whether they're gunning for Khushi's wealth or her vital stats. In all this, Khushi grins dementedly when flirted with/ spoken to/just like that, much like a battery-operated doll running on dodgy batteries.

A possible duplication of Govinda-Anil Kapoor's 'Deewana Mastana' is only obvious. Apart from the entire format, even elements like setting up a hooker to tarnish the other and a long exchange of dialogues involving cult B'wood actors who sacrificed their love for a friend or a brother, seem stale and tiring. Stupid humour is the nationally accepted form of humour in Bollywood. But 'Rascals' manages the incredible feat of falling below the already low standards set by this genre.

Sanjay Dutt and Ajay Devgn haven't aged well. But that is not the issue. The issue is that they have aged and they need to realise that if they don't stop playing twenty-something's now, it could just be a bit too late to play the forty-somthings. Kangna's speech therapist has done a great job but when she's excited in a scene, there's no stopping the spit from hitting the ceiling.

'Deewana Mastana' had tickled many arm pits to be memorable. This washed-up version only repeats the better gags and in doing so, ruins the fond association with the original.