Kaalakaandi Movie Review: A Whacky Ride

Akshat Verma shot to fame overnight when Delhi Belly, which was written by him, became a major success and catapulted him to the big league. Little wonder that Verma decided to raise the stakes and try his hand at direction with Kaalakaandi. But does this film, which features three separate stories, prove to be as entertaining and quirky as Delhi Belly?

A sober banker (Saif Ali Khan) is told that he has stomach cancer and a few months to leave and this pushes him over the edge, leading to an encounter with LSD and whacky adventures on a rain-slicked night in Mumbai. Meanwhile, his sibling Angad (Akshay Oberoi), who is about to tie the knot, has been offered a night of unbridled passion by a ‘firang’ ex-girlfriend, leading to further complications.

In another part of the city, a woman and her boyfriend (Sobhita Dhulipala and Kunaal Roy Kapur) decide to attend a pal’s birthday party before the former’s flight to the US and end up being embroiled in a drug bust and a wild chase ending in a tragedy.

In yet another corner of the metropolis, two small-time hoodlums (Vijay Raaz and Deepak Dobriyal) plan to double-cross their boss and make away with a score big enough to set them up for life.

Saif Ali Khan, who has impressed us with his performance in films such as Ek Hasina Thi, Omkara and Being Cyrus, delivers a solid performance as the staid banker, who decides to let his hair down and the scenes between him and transgender commercial sex worker Sheela (Nary Singh) are the highlights of his portion of the film. Saif is outrageous and vulnerable in equal measures and it is fun to watch him goof around. Akshay and Isha Talwar are decent enough and provide able support to the story.

In the second story, Shobhita, Kunaal and Shenaz Treasurywala have performed well while Shivam Patil (last seen in Ghayal Once Again) is a pleasant surprise. Vijay Raaz and Deepak are too good in their roles as hoodlums planning to pull off a big score and their banter is sure to provoke quite a few chuckles.

As for the film itself, Kaalakaandi is a very niche and what is called a ‘meant for a multiplex audience’ film. The special effects, the background score and other technical aspects are quite effective and the film is a fun and whacky ride for sure. Granted that the film may not be as entertaining as Delhi Belly, but Kaalakaandi does have its moments. The dialogues, though mostly in English, are quite relatable and contemporary.

On the flip side, the climax of the film comes across as quite abrupt and far-fetched, which may not go down well with many viewers. However, all said and done, if whacky films are your drug of choice, Kaalakaandi will guarantee a ‘good trip’.