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Identity Crisis!

Sukanya Verma

“Come…Let's discover love” scream the publicity stills of Deewane. Whether or not you do, you will certainly discover interesting aspects of Bollywood film-making.

For one, did you know Bombay looks like New Zealand and Australia? That an Indian police guesthouse looks like a swanky Beverly hills apartment? That coming out of coma was easy as solving a jigsaw puzzle?

Deewane offers all these insights. And, oh, a story, too. Never mind if it's the I’ve-heard this-one-before kind.

Dreamy Sapna (Urmila Matondkar) is engaged to daredevil supercop Vishal (Ajay Devgan). While he isn't exactly the answer to her prayers, the two are nonetheless in love.

Enter Vishal's uncle (Paresh Rawal), with a penchant for life on the wrong side. He orders nephews (Gulshan Grover and Aasif Sheikh) to gun Vishal down, leaving him in a coma. Wow, last week it was Rani Mukherjee (Har Dil Jo Pyaar Karega). This time, it's Devgan’s turn.

Now, things get interesting. Commissioner Chavan (Shivaji Satam) produces lookalike Arun, a small-time crook, to replace Vishal. Mistaking him for Vishal, Sapna is thrilled with this new facet of her fiance and falls in love all over again.

Twist in tale: Vishal wakes up from his coma, thereby putting an end to the Arun-Sapna romance. Whom does she choose? A series of simpering, sulking, and pining leads to the most-awaited part of the film: The End.

There aren't any earth-shattering performances, but they are sincere.

Ajay Devgan in a dual role doesn’t really bring out the distinction between Vishal and Arun. The two seem to have similar mannerisms and characteristics. But what he does do is speak through his eyes and deliver the most inane dialogues with amazing conviction.

Things might helped if Devgan didn't look quite so jaded and harried.

Urmila's is an indecisive character (a strong Mills & Boons influence here), with not much scope in terms of histrionics. She compensates (as usual) with oodles of glamour and sensuality.

Mahima, in a special appearance, hams her way through. Johnny Lever plays true to his funny-man role, as a veterinary doc (a la Jim Carrey in Ace Ventura: Pet Detective.)

The camerawork, by relatively lesser-known Yogesh Jani, is breathtaking. He has captured the virgin locales of down under marvelously. Qayamat and Churao Na Dil.

Dirctor Harry Baweja (of Dilwale and Diljale), who usually tends to exaggerate the emotional aspects of the storyline, has mercifully spared us the experience this time.

Fairly engaging in the first part, Deewane makes you squirm and squeal in your seat post-interval.

CREDITS:
Director: Harry Baweja
Cast: Ajay Devgan, Urmila Matondkar, Mahima Chaudhury, Johnny Lever, Paresh Rawal, Gulshan Grover, Reema Lagoo, Shivaji Satam
Producer: Paramjeet Baweja
Cinematographer: Yogesh Jani
Music: Sanjeev Darshan
Lyrics: Sameer
Choreographer: Saroj Khan and Raju Khan
Official website of the film: www.deewanethefilm.com