Character 1: Cardamom
Character 2: Who’s mom?
If you found the above repartee funny, chances are, you would like Fukrey 3. But if you thought it was a really lame attempt at slapstick, then this film is not for you.
There is nothing wrong in slapstick humour. One of Hindi cinema’s most iconic comedies that has attained a cult status over the years is Andaz Apna Apna, a movie filled with improbable circumstances and random dialogues that feel incredibly hilarious each time you revisit them. For a good slapstick to work, you need wit, extremely funny punch lines delivered with perfect comedic timing and the semblance of a plot that makes you LOL. Fukrey 3, unfortunately, has miles to go before it can claim to possess any of these qualities.
The first film released nearly 10 years ago. Back then, a sweet comedy about four Delhi slackers, infused with amusing situations, memorable characters and great music, felt refreshing. Probably it made enough money for the producers to think a sequel was warranted. The second part was not funny at all but somehow the makers were motivated to go for a third one!
That’s good news for the actors and crew but bad for audiences who expect a comedy to be…well…funny! If there was a genre called the ‘nothing film’, this would be it. There really isn’t anything in the plot, performances, technicalities or narrative that leaves an impression. It’s not bad (we have seen far worse in the name of ‘entertainment’ from Bollywood) but Fukrey 3 does nothing to you!
The opening lines are cleverly done with the credits showcased in a song that reminds viewers of the plots and characters of the first two films. Wish the same spark was present in the rest of the movie! The four leads — Hunny (Pulkit Samrat ), Lali (Manjot Singh), Choocha (Varun Sharma) and Pandit (Pankaj Tripathi) — are still good-for-nothing, smart blokes who dream of making money. Their involvement with their bête noire Bholi Punjaban (Richa Chadha), the foul-mouthed lady don who is now a politician, leads them to get into trouble with Delhi’s notorious tanker mafia. In between, there is a detour to South Africa’s diamond mines during which the foursome discover their new blessing – the ability to make petrol with sweat and pee. Don’t ask how and why. The theories of science are stretched to the most incredulous levels but then you don’t want to bother with the nitty-gritties of the matter.
Somehow, to counter Bholi, the boys decide to field Choocha as her opponent. One assumed this might lead to some subservice political jokes but no such luck. Instead, what you get is a litany of unending toilet humour (literally and figuratively!), a VFX crocodile, a climax in a water park (an Ahmedabad-based theme park is thanked in the credits, was this a not-so-subtle destination placement?), a sprinkling of unnecessary patriotism, and even a serious insight into the water crisis. Farce should be fun but in Fukrey 3’s case, it falls flat.
The movie is in the hands of seasoned actors but there is not much they can do to elevate average writing. Pankaj Tripathi does well and his deadpan one-liners evoke a chuckle or two. Richa Chadha’s rough and rustic Bholi Punjaban is still a delight but the novelty has worn off. The same goes for the talented Varun Sharma who, as Choocha, gets to carry the bulk of the comedic weight. Manjot Singh and Pulkit Samrat are sincere and it’s evident they have all had a good time shooting for the film.
The same can’t be said about watching it. Some jokes are best said once, let’s not repeat and spoil the fun please!
Directed by: Mrigdeep Singh Lamba
Starring: Pulkit Samrat, Varun Sharma, Manjot Singh, Richa Chadha, Pankaj Tripathi
Rating: 2/5 stars
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