A hilarious bro-mantic laugh riot
The film could have been called Madcap Express. Actor Kunal Khemur’s directorial debut, Madgaon ExpressA wild and wacky comedy of errors that rarely, if ever, pauses for a breath. The film is deliriously funny as it moves effortlessly and relentlessly between slapstick and sparkling silver-tongued wit.
Emerging from a bloated movie industry that has forgotten the art of genuine humor and coming into an era of unbridled cynicism, the director himself has written a bro-mantic laugh riot, a free-flowing mix. go go go And Dil chahta hai While steadfastly being his own beast.
Madgaon ExpressProduced by Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani’s Excel Entertainment, brings back their soul in a remarkable way. Dil chahta hai. However, in terms of style and substance, this is a film that wants us to dismiss our worst opposites with a chuckle, which is no touchy, doctor-probably ordered for the tough, complicated times we live in.
The film revolves around three Bombay boys of the 1990s. Living in a much less stressful era, they, lured by the easy promise of beaches, kids in bikinis and booze, dream of traveling to Goa. Their parents put a spanner in the works. Desire remains unfulfilled.
After college, in their early 20s, they decided to defy their families and throw caution to the wind. Their enthusiasm returns. Trip to Goa postponed again.
After the mischief, the three men – the habitual fiber Dhanush “Dodo” (Divyendu), the tough, brooding boy Ayush Gupta (Avinash Tiwari) and the mother’s boy Prateek “Pinku” Garodia (Prateek Gandhi) – go their separate ways. Aayush ends up in New York City and Pinku moves to Cape Town. Both achieve success and earn money.
Dodo is stuck in his middle-class Mumbai pad with his father who has no patience for his wayward ways. The young man wants to be somebody one day. Lost in the maze of social media anonymity, Dodo gets a reality check from his father in the ultimate form. Find a job within a week or prepare to live on the streets.
In “Crazebook,” the cavalierly photoshopped world Dodo has built for himself of thrilling outings and celebrity sightings is in danger of collapsing. When all seems lost, two of his old friends reconnect with him and announce their plan to land in Mumbai and spend a few days with him at his penthouse.
The rub lies there. Like his high-flying lifestyle and the C-Class limousine he flashes in his social media posts, the plush pad he claims to own is a figment of his imagination.
He has a lot to hide. So, Dodo suggests that the trio drop the idea of spending time in Mumbai and go to Goa instead to fulfill a dream they’ve been nurturing since they were in school. But he gets off on the wrong foot.
Trouble begins before the trip even begins. Asthmatic Pinku’s duffel bag is inadvertently exchanged at a cigarette kiosk on a railway station platform. Realizing the mistake, they are already on their way to Madgaon. The bag that Pinku now has in his possession contains currency notes and a gun. Both are real.
So is the chaos and confusion that Aayush, Pinku and Dodo hit after arriving in Goa. A stash of cocaine, a beautiful girl, Tasha (Nora Fatehi), who needs a steady supply of drugs for her parties, an all-woman gang led by a miserly Kanchan Komdi (Chaya Kadam), drug lord Mendoza (Upendra Limaye) and Dr. Danny ( Remo D’Souza), who helps Pinku when she collapses from an accidental overdose, gets together and starts a series of accidents.
To make matters worse, the police sank into disorganization. Three unidentified boys take to their heels. Kanchan and Mendoza join the chase, throwing everything into a tailspin that shows no sign of ending.
Madgaon Express A rags-to-riches romp that never seems close to overstaying its welcome, even with the post-climax scenes – they interrupt the end credits in a novel, miserly fashion – providing plenty of surprises and forcing the audience to stick around until it’s all done and dusted. is
Apart from a script that never ceases to deliver a generous dose of laughs, the comic timing achieved by the three actors gives the riotous farce its vibrancy. Each of the three lead actors has successfully employed his own style to suit his character. In the guise of a stoic skeptic, Avinash Tiwari exudes strength and tenacity, conveying joy with his measured underplaying.
Pratik Gandhi is extremely soft, accident prone, allergic to dust and prone to the worst misfortunes in unlikely places. He bundles sensitivity with skill and sensitivity. A wobbly dodo who gets things out of control like hiding a lot from his friends, Dibyendu is a true livewar. His comic ability is the sturdiest on which wheels Madgaon Express run
The supporting cast – Nora Fatehi, Chaya Kadam, Upendra Limaye and Remo D’Souza (billed as a special appearance) – are all perfectly in sync with the inspired madness. Madgaon ExpressA ride that never runs out of steam even when some of its elements may appear to tilt ever so slightly towards the over-consciously gimmicky.
Hop on. It’s worth the price of the ticket. All the way.
