Once Upon Ay Time In Mumbai Dobaara! | Bollywood Movie | Hindi Film Reviews

Now a days we see a lot of movies coming up with its sequels, some of them enjoys the success and some falls flat. The content, the film offer, is the most important thing. We are not telling that it should be great at all aspects, but it should be entertaining (or the viewers should find them entertaining).

That is the reason why Once Upon Ay Time In Mumbai Dobaara! could not reclaim the success of its previous episode – Once Upon A Time In Mumbai.

It is worth to note that Akshay isn’t able to create the charismatic effect of Ajay Devgan – who did the lead role in OUATIM (Once Upon A Time In Mumbai). Though, he is extending the character of Emraan Hashmi. If the lead actor delivers stunning performance and able to woo the audience then even the stories with loopholes (or even no-brainers, or too much adaptations) also got succeed on the box office. Akshay has grown a lot over the period in Bollywood but several movies are there (even released recently) where he seems monotonous and flat faced.

Imran Khan cannot create the fear (or whatever tough thing he had to show on the screen). Just sticking false mustaches is not enough to look tough on the screen. As Salim Khan recently referred on a talk show, projecting a character is a very different thing (though he told it in reference of writing a character and projecting it, but it fits here as well). Frankly speaking Imran doesn’t look a tapori at all. He must have to show the versatility in order to be in the race for long.

Sonakshi doesn’t have to do much, but still she delivers – ok – performance. For example in her introductory scene with Akshay on the sea-shore, where she tries stopping him committing suicide (as per her vision); she is unable to project what she have to. Think how Meenakshi Sheshadri, Juhi Chawla or Madhuri Dixit have done it. Possibly Kareena Kapur also done it very effectively (based on her Jab We Met performance). Anyway, everyone is unique in his/her own but some character demands some characteristics to be projected. Sonali Bendre delivers good performance in small role though, but it is not enough to save the movie.

The film is good in terms of technology used. The money spent over the locales, sets, chase, fight etc. are shown. The background music is also effective. The songs could have been better and more ear-pleasing. The Taiyab Ali song is not effective. Ye Tune Kya Kiya is good to hear. Rest of the songs can avoid being mentioned.

Actually, the problem remains with writing too. Director/Writer seems to be in hurry to make and deliver a sequel as soon as possible. And two major underworld tycoons (well, actually one, another is his aide) fighting for a lady like street-goons may not appeal. Also the network of – Shoaib – like dons is so powerful, that whatever developments are between his desired girl and his aide couldn’t have been hid from him. No characters are written in strong manner. We must say that there are some punchlines and one-liners which are good in terms of dialogs, but again, not enough.

The story moves ahead in the times where its previous installment is stopped. Shoaib is now a well known and feared don and he lives mainly in Dubai. He have a few trustable people around him. He have only one friend who looks after his business and legal matters. His love interest is in Mumbai and Shoaib is in touch with her. The scene where he reach to Mumbai to meet her once, and how he fools police with so many taxis is a nice scene. There is a boy he found in the same slum he grew up and he took him under his wings. (Later the same way he became a challenge for Sultan Mirza, the boy – then grown up youth – became a challenge for him. Life is so circular in terms of events! And, power of course have its attributes, both positive and negative).

All was going well, till a local don became a challenge for him and he have to visit Mumbai clearing his path. He met a pretty girl during the visit who took his heart. Shoaib made her happy by rigging some awards and making her path to stardom clear. And it followed by shower of gifts by Shoaib on her.

Shoaib sent two of his men to kill Rawal, his rival, but somehow the things went wrong. One of them was captured by police, Shoaib’s girlfriend was killed. The captured man however remain loyal to Shoaib and doesn’t break his silence in the prison. Over the course of time circumstances, police and Shoaib’s opponents played games and the time became tougher for Shoaib. The things became complicated emotionally as well. So will Shoaib come back to Mumbai (in open) after a long gap? What will be his fate? What will happen to his love life? Will there be another Shaib in the making during this period? All this can be answered in the rest of the film.

So overall a film with a few positives, but a lot of stuff below expectations. You may watch it on TV (till you can) when you have nothing to do.

Buy Once Upon a Time In Mumbai Dobaara DVD From Amazon.com
Buy Once Upon a Time in Mumbai Dobaara from Amazon India