Bad Joke

Film: Joker

Producer: Farah Khan, Akshay Kumar, Shirish Kunder

Director: Shirish Kunder

Cast: Akshay Kumar, Sonakshi Sinha, Shreyas Talpade, Minisha Lamba

Genre: Comedy

Rating: Below Average

by Bhawana Somaaya

Story:

In 1947 when the maps of India and Pakistan were being drawn, Paglapur went unrecorded. The village had the distinction of housing the largest mental asylum in the region. During partition, the asylum inmates broke loose and established their own republic away from the rest of the country. Paglapur remained neglected until a NASA scientist of Indian origin returns to his roots and changes destiny of home town.

What works about the film:
Lead pair Akshay Kumar-Sonakshi Sinha and all the supporting actors playing villagers who submit to the utter madness of the plot. All the dances lovingly choreographed by Shirish’s wife Farah Khan and punctuated with thumkas from Sonakshi. 

Performances:

As Agastya working on a top secret project for creating a device to communicate with aliens Akshay Kumar is competent. As his wife ready to follow his dream in America and Pagalpur, Sonakshi is endearing.
She enjoys being in front of the camera irrespective of what the script has to offer.

What does not work:

The illogical plot and screenplay. Director Shirish Kunder wanted to make India’s first extra terrestrial comedy but the fact is that Joker neither makes you laugh nor cry! You submit to the madness in exasperation. There is a character who thinks he is a lamppost and so hangs from a tree top. Another speaks gibberish. Everybody is in search of the aliens and this includes the White House, FBI, media and battalion of army waiting with cannons to attack them!!

Message confusing:

The pack of cards and Joker used as metaphors for Pagalpur village is contradictory. In the climax Akshay Kumar says Pagalpur does not need any patronage, then why did you go through all the trouble my dear Agastya?

Verdict:

It is a no show, sorry Kunder you served us bad cards!

The review appears as it is in Blockbuster, a newly launched trade magazine.

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