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Lots of Fun!

Syed Firdaus Ashraf

Entertainment, that's what David Dhawan's new film Deewana Mastana is, if you keep your grey cells outside the movie hall.

Raja is a minor league crook who sells railway tickets in the black market at Amirpur station. Tired of his job he looks for new ways to make a quick buck. One day, along with his friend Ghafoor (Johny Lever) and a police inspector (Avtar Gill), he robs Rs 2.5 million from the railway treasury.

Later, Raja and Ghafoor bump off the inspector and run away with the loot to Bombay. At Bombay airport, Raja sets eyes on Dr Neha (Juhi Chawla) and promptly falls in love with the psychiatrist, for that's what she is.

Raja and Ghafoor quickly find out where she lives. Ghafoor pretends to be a psychiatric patient while Raja takes on the name Raj Kumar and befriends her, telling her he has just returned from the US. However, Ghafoor cautions Raja not to hurry and be patient in matters of love.

The trouble begins when Bunnu (Govinda), the son of a wealthy businessman (Anupam Kher), is sent to Neha for treatment. He is really crazy, and terrified of fire, heights, running and water. Soon, he too falls for Neha and discovers he has a rival in Raja.

Suddenly, Neha has to leave for Ooty with her father (Saeed Jaffrey) to attend her uncle (Shakti Kapoor)'s wedding. She does not leave behind a forwarding address. However, both Raja and Bunnu impersonate policemen and intimidate her secretary into revealing where she's vamoosed.

Dr Neha is thrilled to see them in Ooty, but is drawn closer to the ill Bunnu rather than Raja. Things take an ugly turn when Ghafoor tires to kill Bunnu, who escapes.

Bunnu contacts contract killer Pappu Pager (Satish Kaushik) to bump off Raja. However, that plan too comes a cropper.

Armed with a gold ring and garland, Neha calls Bunnu and Raja to court, ostensibly with the purpose of marriage. Both are surprised to see the other there. The scene has its interesting moments.

Kader Khan, who usually has a strong role in David Dhawan's films, does a cameo as a judge. Govinda has managed to look different, and does not repeat the comedy scenes in Coolie No 1and Hero No 1. But he needs to lose some weight as he looks terrible in some scenes.

Anil Kapoor, after the serious Virasat, does not go overboard. Nowhere in the film do you find him overacting or being reduced to overdone ham. Chawla looks sweet, but her dress designer is atrocious, stuffing her in short skirts that don't suit her body.

Laxmikant-Pyarelal's music is tolerable, with three songs, O Mummy Mummy, Head Ya Tail and Tera Bina Dil Lagta Nahin being worth listening to.

Overall, the film is no different from the earlier masala mixtures ground together by David Dhawan and Govinda. If you like those films, you might like something similar to it. If you an ardent fan of any of the main protagonists, you must see the film.