Action Replayy: Retro Grade Fun!
By MovieTalkies.com, 05 November 2010
4 / 5
Catch the action and you're likely to replay the experience. Vipul Shah's 'Action Replayy' comes with a very different theme and story. Going back in time and setting one's life right, in this case, one's parents' life right, on paper, at least, has a lot of potential. The film itself plays out quite interestingly and the Seventies have been very lovingly recreated by Shah and Co, especially in the costumes and the music department. Like the Seventies, the film is full of bright hues, psychedelic pinks, blues and lots of polka dots and makes for a lovely retro trip. But besides looking good cosmetically, the film also manages to tell a good story.
'Action Replayy' is basically the story of a couple, Mala (Aishwarya Rai Bachchan) and Kishen (Akshay Kumar) who are constantly bickering with one another and have an exceedingly unhappy marriage, a fact which causes great distress to their only child, Bunty (Aditya Roy Kapoor), going so far as to totally put him off against the institution of marriage itself, much to his girlfriend's dismay. Things come to head at their 25th wedding anniversary, where Kishen's old rival and Mala's friend, played by Ranvijay Singh, turns up and proceeds to insult him.
This cause a further rift between Kishen and Mala and both leave the party in tears. Meanwhile, Bunty's girlfriend takes him to meet her grandfather, played by Randhir Kapoor, in a rare appearance. He plays a scientist who has just invented a time machine and is all set to go on a test ride. But Bunty tricks him and gets on to the machine himself armed with the intention of going back to the Seventies and setting his parent's marriage right (a harkback to the famed 1985 Michael J. Fox starrer 'Back To The Future' helmed by Robert Zemeckis)
Now back in time, he proceeds to go ahead and make friends with both his parents, who are unmarried at this point of time and are sworn enemies, Now begins his mammoth task of bringing up his father and helping him to become more assertive and charming. He plays cupid between his warring parents and manages to get them to fall in love and marry. His job done, he comes back to the present, back to the same anniversary party, where everything had gone all wrong and finds to his relief and delight that circumstances have changed for the better. His parents are now in love with each other, making it much easier for him to propose to his girlfriend.
Even though the film belongs to Akshay and Ash, there is no doubt that Aditya steals the show with his charm and boyish style. There is something extremely endearing about this actor's appearance and he comes across as a much more polished actor in this movie, highly improved from his first appearance in 'London Dreams' by the same director.
The role of the son is quite crucial to the film's plot and Aditya seems to fit the bill perfectly. In fact, it is because he has such an endearing presence that one tends to overlook the fact that nobody in the Seventies, seems to question who he is and what he is doing dressed so differently. He is much too easily accepted, a fact that the writer should have looked into.
The scenes in the past are quite amusing and have been very cleverly done. It is rare to see Akshay playing such an unhero like character. He is shown quite an unppealing presence. But this ugly duckling is transformed into handsome and confident man, due to coaching from his own son. Akshay acquits himself with ease and confidence as the timid Kishen, who swoons after Mala holds his hand. He is well supported by Ash, who plays a Seventies style 'mawaali' girl, who turns from tormentor to Kishen's lover.
Rannvijay Singh plays the third angle to this love story and does his best to foil all of Aditya's plans but has to bow to destiny in the end. Neha Dhupia appears for a little bit and is quite good. Kirron Kher and Om Puri make for lovely adversaries and their car sequences are quite hilarious. Rajpal Yadav is quite a treat to watch, as always. But the honours certainly do belong to Aditya, who has truly arrived with this film. It's a good build up for his next movie, 'Guzaarish', where he will again be sharing space with Ash and Hrithik Roshan.
The film has been very well shot and the Seventies have been recreated quite well. Pritam's music adds to feel and look of the movie. Going retro never seemed so much fun. Go... grab your retro thrills.