Mubarakan movie review – a weekend laughter therapy to de-stress yourself

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Going for a weekend laughter-therapy to de-stress seemed like a good idea until it boomeranged on me, though partially. Congratulations to anyone who has witnessed this ‘yelling match’ between the three Sardars for 2 ½ hrs and has gone completely stone-deaf !!!

One cannot say ’Welcome Back’ to director, Aneez Bazmi but don’t dismiss MUBARAKAN totally either. Just that, with such wonderful star cast and fairly good storyline, we expected something more crackling. Still, being a squeaky-clean family entertainer is a major plus (indeed a rare feat in current times).

For Anil Kapoor fans, this is a ‘Jhakaas’ moment ????

Seriously, to watch a 60-year-old ‘young’ actor just gobble up other younger and older actors in one go is simply OMG.

In a first, MUBARAKAN celebrates the coming together of Chacha-Bhatija Jodi that was long overdue. If Anil Kapoor is all fire…raving and lusting for life then Arjun Kapoor is an ice candy…subdued and shy. This exciting combo of stark opposites could have been an insane, laugh-a-minute riot but unending jargon of ‘Hamari Sanskriti’, ‘Hamari Parampara’ and ‘Hamari Sabhyata’ spoils the fun in the second half…tch tch ☹.

Mubarakan Storyline

NRI Chacha, Kartar Singh ( Anil Kapoor) is trying his best to sort out the holy mess in the love life of Charan and Karan (Arjun Kapoor in a double whammy) but without any success. In fact, his whacky ideas prove to be more of a problem than a solution. All the hell breaks loose when the guardian angels of the orphaned twins, a hyper team of an uncle and aunt, decide to marry off the twins to the girls of their choice. Boys are clearly against the loveless arranged marriage and seek Kartar Singh’s help from London.

After a generous dose of screaming, quarreling, manipulating and misunderstanding, if at all our big and boisterous Punjabi family manages to reach the marriage mandap then it would be a miracle. To be honest, the first half is genuinely entertaining with typical Punjabi innuendos and self- deprecating jokes. Comical references to ‘Udta Punjab’ or a Brit- Sardar swearing over the queen are extremely funny.

MUBARAKAN does boast of few witty one liners and a perfectly synced comic act between the lead characters. Pity that this promising comedy of errors starts sliding after an hour or so but sweet-sixties gang, Anil Kapoor & Co, bash on regardless with much gusto.

Baraat-songs are strictly for the dress-designers and art directors to showcase their designs and skills, period.

The star cast

Predictably, MUBARAKAN starts and finishes with Anil Kapoor in every frame and very scene. And mind you, AK rocks in his trademark style, brimming with boundless energy and laughter…impressed !! His more than perfect brit-Punjabi accent and mannerisms are not to be missed. Add to it, his Punjabi- babbling English butler is a royal joke ???? ????

Arjun Kapoor is obedient enough to stay under the huge shadow of his real-life Chachu, Anil Kapoor, and is fairly passable but he needs to size down desperately to be called as ‘hunk’ in near future.

Pretty girls, Ileana D’cruze, Athiya Shetty and Neha Sharma are here to dance, laugh, cry, REPEAT !!!! We don’t expect anything more either.

Garrulous uncle, Pawan Malhotra, otherwise a talented actor, is reduced to a loud and cheap caricature while Ratna Pathak holds her dignity and act in a delightful way. Rest of the jamboree just adds to the overwhelming chaos.

Director, Anees Bazmi has a thing for comic capers but then it is the most difficult genre too. Most important, do not underestimate our IQ levels, please. Better luck next time.

Conclusion

If you can survive this ear bursting and brain splitting, high-decibel melodrama till the end then you are an Olympic winner…go, treat yourself ????