Dus

Article Updated 09 July, 2005 01:32:42 PM IST

Dus

Sorry to disappoint the readers but 'Dus' is 'All Style No Substance!'. This sounds clichéd but that's what the film too is about! Another clichéd term would be, 'Old Wine In A New Bottle!'

We've seen anti-terrorist squads, bombings, and mass killings since times immemorial. It's happening in real life too now. So honestly there's nothing new to watch on screen. Just switch on the main news channels and you are uptodate with this stuff. The recent London bombings almost comes close to this (and our sympathies and thoughts are with the victims).

Now to give credit where it's due. Brilliantly executed action sequences and stunts. Gloss, and style; the film has loads of it. Great faces, brilliant camerawork, superb locales (Canada), bootiluscious bodies, a testosterone pumping item number, and lots more. The chemistry between Zayed and Abhishek is great (But Zayed still has a Shah Rukh Khan hangover! While Jr. B is great in some scenes. Yeah, his chemistry with Sanju is great too!) If this is all what you want from a film then cheer on! "Dus' is just right for you!' But if substance rules over all that in a Bollywood film, then stay put. You would be better off watching a Hollywood action flick on your DVD.

Now the plot. 'Dus' as the name suggests has something to do with the number. The story starts on May 1 and as the film progresses it will climax on May 10. Is the climax worth the wait? Don't worry you don't have to wait for 10 days, it's just a matter of three hours. What did we say, 'just 3 hours?'. Let's add 3 hours of torture to reach the climax.

Now coming back to the Million Dollar Question, 'Is The Climax Worth It?' Well, honestly no comments. Like we said, depending on your expectations from a film, it could be either this way or that! . This also leaves one wondering what the original 'Dus', to have been made by the late Mukul Anand' was all about.

Is 'Dus' an attempt at running Indo-Canada relationships especially when the world is trying to go on a peace path. There is a conspiracy being hatched in Canada when the Indian Prime Minister is to undertake a goodwill visit to Canada. Perfect Timing! Who is this conspirator in Canada. Obviously he has to have a Muslim name. No, we aren't suggesting anything. But he's the surprise package in the film. There are main characters who emerge out of nowhere while some others suddenly disappear into oblivion. But we haven't yet started with the story. Actually, there's no real story worth telling.

Sanjay Dutt, Abhishek Bachchan, Zayed Khan and Shilpa Shetty work for the anti-terrorist cell. Abhishek and Zayed are sent to Canada under Dutt's orders to thwart the mission. On their arrival in Canada, they meet Esha Deol (Neha), who is entrusted the responsibility of helping them accomplish this difficult task. Suniel Shetty, the local cop, follows them as he mistakes them to be troublemakers, courtesy their rash driving. But they're confronted by gun toting guys and Suniel gets injured.

Meanwhile, they kidnap Pankaj Kapoor, mistaking him to be one of the henchmen of the terrorist, and try to extract information from him. And the search for the terrorist begins till you may want to walk out of the theatre without bothering to!

'Dus Bahane', the opening song is cool. Yeah, the film also defies logic. The emotional moments are provided by Sunil Shetty (Dan) and his wife, Raima Sen. But sorry we aren't touched! The maker has tried to move the audience to tears again using Abhishek but this one too boomerangs. Sorry! So this film is definitely not for the interiors and smaller cities where people still want emotions from a Hindi flick. Ditto for the mature and sensitive audience.

Performances. Suniel Shetty is alright. Shilpa Shetty is good and has a body that makes her look very much in character. Esha Deol just has to look desirable. Dia Mirza and Raima Sen have no scope. Pankaj Kapoor is efficient. Gulshan Grover just has to look menacing in two scenes. Box office prospects? Haven't we said enough?

**1/2 (TWO AND A HALF STARS)
*poor; **average; ***good; ****very good; *****excellent

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