Mr. Rajkumar Santoshi needs no introduction. In a true action hero style he made an entry with a "BANG!" (read that "Ghayal"). Then he went ahead and seized up movies like "Damini", "Ghatak" and highly under-rated "Andaz Apna Apna" (PS: the rest are not worthy mentioning anyway). If you look at "Halla Bol" it clearly gives away the fact that Mr. Santoshi has run out of steam. If "Family" was yet another "Ghayal" then "Halla Bol" is definitely "Damini". This time it is Ajay Devgan who witnesses a crime and decides to stand up against it. Coming to his rescue is not a drunkard lawyer with "Dhaai-kilo ka haath" but a reformed dacoit Pankaj Kapoor. The spouse in both versions lend a moral support to the proceedings. The plot has been tweaked to incorporate bits from A.) "Bollywood Calling"/ "Om Shanti Om", B.) Power of public and C.) Jessica Lal murder case.
Ajay Devgan:: Passable considering the plagiarised plot he decided to be a party to.
Vidya Balan:: Weak character which got compensated with a few fiery sentences like "My husband has got ****". Sorry but that cheesy line made me fall out of my chair.
Pankaj Kapur:: Saving grace. Anybody else instead, there would be nothing more than a zilch in the movie.
At least the Nadeem-Sharavan's music in "Damini" was melodious here there is hardly a number that stays with you when you walk out of cinema halls.
Finally Mr. Santoshi, nobody can fill in the shoes when it comes to your pairing with Sunny Deol. Your newfound partnership with Ajay Devgan is fine but the whole thing is akin to catching a tiger in the jungle. Only that you have caught a bear and trained him to mouth "I am tiger, I am tiger!".
Ajay Devgan:: Passable considering the plagiarised plot he decided to be a party to.
Vidya Balan:: Weak character which got compensated with a few fiery sentences like "My husband has got ****". Sorry but that cheesy line made me fall out of my chair.
Pankaj Kapur:: Saving grace. Anybody else instead, there would be nothing more than a zilch in the movie.
At least the Nadeem-Sharavan's music in "Damini" was melodious here there is hardly a number that stays with you when you walk out of cinema halls.
Finally Mr. Santoshi, nobody can fill in the shoes when it comes to your pairing with Sunny Deol. Your newfound partnership with Ajay Devgan is fine but the whole thing is akin to catching a tiger in the jungle. Only that you have caught a bear and trained him to mouth "I am tiger, I am tiger!".