Gayab

Director: Prawaal Raman
Starring: Tusshaar Kapoor, Antra Mali
Music: Ajay-Atul, Amar Mohile

Mr X is back to Bombay or rather say aamchi Mumbai! All the mumbaikars who did not vote in favor of NDA despite Bala Saheb Thackeray's plea have come out now to celebrate.

Just hold on to that and cry, 'Mujhe Gayab Kar do.' What? Did you say that you have seen the same sequence in another non-starter film from Ram Gopal Verma's Film Factory (it's is the name of his office in Mumbai), 'Darna Mana Hai'. Yes, you are absolutely right, director Prawal Raman is back with an extension of his short story.

He has replaced Aftab Shivdasani with Tusshar, and Antara has been roped in to play his ladylove. Ram Gopal Verma has been termed as one of the best talented directors during the last 20 years.

But it looks that his creative brain has taken rest and the businessman in him has overshadowed him. 'Gayab' is a film that Verma has made in association with at least two other production houses. It is quite obvious he has got money to make this film from them, and has only put his men on work.

'Gayab' is one more step towards Verma becoming invisible one day. 'Gayab' is a disaster and is nowhere near to our own 'Mr. India' where the hero was doing some good deeds for his nation.

and where the nasty Kevin Beacon was making the life hell for his friends. So where does this Mr. Invisible from Film Factory stand? One cannot even give the film pass marks.

The film starts with an impressive camera work that traces the introduction of the hero Vishnu Prasad (Tusshar) and also does some good job in establishing his character. That is the only good job done by its director in the whole film.

As soon as introduction of Vishnu is over, we meet a girl who is trying to act smart 24x7. She dances, watches movie, wears clothes for not hiding but showing her body, hops in and out of music shops and does nothing good for her life.

She is the heroine named Mohini (Antara Mali). By looks she less than a cheering girl. Vishnu is fida over her and wants her attention anyhow. He dares to wink at her and ends in crying for his poverty of everything.

Next, he cries to a statue and gains the powers to become invisible. In the age of Spiderman and Harry Potter, Verma thinks he can still make people sit and watch a film that is not even near to 'Mr. India' released about two decades back.

While 'Mr. India' had a purpose, this new hero of 'Gayab' uses his powers only for the sake of getting his ladylove under his wings. The director is trying to prove him lecherous.

He turns villainous in the end and tries to create havoc in the city and also gives ultimatum to police to give him his love or face the consequences. Police uses Mohini as a trap for him but in the last Mohini changes her heart and helps Vishnu escape from the scene.

'Gayab' has very weak prospects on winning the hearts of many at box office. Many had great expectations from director Prawal Raman who debuted with 'Darna Mana Hai'.

Everyone knew that he would walk on the same path but little did any one expect that he would end in narrating a boring story. He is technically brilliant, but needs to work more on story line.

The film also loses its grip due to long song sequences. The editing part is very clumsy too. Cinematography does help Prawal to some extent but Amar Mohile in music department is a major let down. He fails to generate the kind of momentum that Salim Sulieman created in last films of Ram Gopal Verma.

Tusshar has tried to improve his profile as an actor with this film but fails mainly due to character's needs as per the story. He tries to portray a loser in Vishnu Prasad and does it aptly too in some scenes.

But when it comes to deliver emotions he fails to grasp the core of the happenings. Every time he comes out with a weathered shirt and sport shoes. So the people take their eyes away from him.

Antara Mali is not a match for him and nor for Raman Trikha who plays her boyfriend. Antara Mali apes Urmila in her every move and gesture, but the sensuality of Urmila is missing.

She looks cheap instead. Raghuvir Yadav and Rasika Joshi as Tusshar's parents make a good mockery of Indian traditional family whereas Govind Namdeo gets a role after long.

On the whole, the film may do well for two three days for the sake of curiosity. One more film from Ram Gopal Verma's Factory bites the dust and it is high time for Verma to think and plan his strategy.