Film review: Naqaab
Director: Abbas-Mustan
Cast: Bobby Deol, Akshaye Khanna, Urvashi Sharma
Rating: ***
On a good day the Burmawala brothers a.k.a. director duo Abbas-Mustan can be counted on to keep you engaged in their film as they hoodwink you into believing something while something totally different is going on. They play with deceit and intrigue the way other directors play with emotions and there is always another corner to be turned before you can unravel the last clue. The good news is that today is a fine day in the world of the brothers.
Not quite so though in the lives of the three main characters Karan Oberoi (Bobby Deol, a multimillionaire in Dubai), Sophia D'costa ( Urvashi Sharma, Karan's fiancée) and Vicky Malhotra (Akshaye Khanna, an actor). Trouble is brewing and with everyone wearing not just one mask but several, the story has more twists and turns than a roller coaster has curves.
Abbas-Mustan keep the proceedings light even laughing at conventional filmy scenes. When one of the characters is unmasked, he exclaims that his parents had no time for him, making him a money chasing maniac with no time for the finer emotions. Just when you are about to say "et tu Abbashai-Mustanbhai" the character smirks and says that wasn't the way it is, he chases money because he loves money.
The directors set up the plot with finesse and with what is essential in a thriller… loose ends all tied up. Nowhere do they falter with characterisation (some things may look strange when happening, but it all adds up in the end). They very wisely set it all up in the shorter first half and then relentlessly surprise you with a fast-paced second half. There is a certain precision demanded by thrillers and the directors get the timing just right.
Not surprisingly, acting by all the characters is very good. While Bobby Deol (is success going to his waistline?) and Akshaye Khanna are perfectly charming, it is newcomer Urvashi Sharma who catches your eye with a surprisingly competent performance, given that it is a complex role and this is her first film.
The technical team deserves praise. Ravi Yadav's visuals are eye catching and Raju Khan's choreography deserves compliments. Music by Pritam is good too but the real heroes of this involved and complex yet hugely entertaining film are writer Shiraz Ahmed and the men in white, directors Abbas-Mustan.
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