When watching this movie I remembered why I usually prefer Bollywood love stories over Bollywood thrillers. Because whenever I watch a Bollywood thriller I spend half of the time screaming at the actors and actresses to stop being stupid, dizzy cows. Deewangee is no different. The story is based on Hollywood's Primal Fear with Akshaye Khanna as the lawyer Raj and Ajay Devgan as the psycho Tarang. *POSSIBLE SPOILER* Tarang is accused of murdering a man and Raj is the lawyer defending him. Raj finds out that Tarang has a split personality and gets him off. Then Tarang reveals he was faking it, which is when the trouble really hits the fan. Naturally there is also a pretty lady involved who is pretty much the protagonist, because she is the reason Tarang kills and she is also the reason Raj is so desperate to put Tarang in jail where he belongs.
First of all, let's start with the actors. Although Ajay is no Edward Norton, he was simply brilliant switching between sweet, charming Tarang and his wicked alter ego Ranjit. His facial expressions actually nicely displayed his inner feelings. He loves the girl. He wants to marry the girl. And in his deluded head she loves and wants to marry him. So he is willing to do anything to protect that. Ofcourse sane people wouldn't take anything as far as he does, cos as the movie progresses the body count rises. And what about Akshaye... he's actually quite good, but unfortunately indulges in sulking and overacting which is a real shame. But not all is his fault, because Ajay has a way of stealing every scene they are in together. On a personal note, I liked Akshaye better in Dil Chahta Hai playing the sensitive artsy guy. And finally the leading lady Urmila who has no charisma whatsoever. How two guys end up trying to kill eachother over her is beyond me. She can't do scared out of her wits, she can't do shocked and she can't do empowered woman. She should take a page out of Neve Campbell's Scream days and learn to kick butt.
Just like most Bollywood movies this one had scenes so inconsistent and illogical I wanted to dive into the tv and whack someone. The worst scene was however the looney bin. *SPOILER* Correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't psychiatrists trained professionals with experience in dealing with schizophrenic psycho's? So, how on earth does Tarang manage to convince them that he didn't attack his lawyer, but that his lawyer injured himself? Granted, he was telling the truth. But as a psychiatrist treating a murderer, I think I would give the lawyer the benefit of the doubt instead of swallowing some sob story by the psycho like a caramel cake. And I surely wouldn't be ready to let the patient leave having seen him headlock the lawyer. The second worst scene involves fifty policemen failing to catch the psycho who manages to flee them, knock out a driver, change into his clothes and get behind the wheel of a car in the span of three minutes. Give me a break!!! I could go on, but I'll run out of space.
But it's not all bad. Because, let's face it, it's not like Hollywood thrillers are always that consistent and logical. And many times I have found myself calling Hollywood actors and actresses stupid dizzy cows. So, all in all, Deewangee is OK and it is made better by Ajay's performance. It would have been better if they had given the leading lady a kick butt role, but then Akshaye wouldn't have been able to rescue the damsel in distress. And as far as endings go, it was a pretty predictable one... let's see if you can guess it before the end of the first half of the movie like I did.
***/5 stars
First of all, let's start with the actors. Although Ajay is no Edward Norton, he was simply brilliant switching between sweet, charming Tarang and his wicked alter ego Ranjit. His facial expressions actually nicely displayed his inner feelings. He loves the girl. He wants to marry the girl. And in his deluded head she loves and wants to marry him. So he is willing to do anything to protect that. Ofcourse sane people wouldn't take anything as far as he does, cos as the movie progresses the body count rises. And what about Akshaye... he's actually quite good, but unfortunately indulges in sulking and overacting which is a real shame. But not all is his fault, because Ajay has a way of stealing every scene they are in together. On a personal note, I liked Akshaye better in Dil Chahta Hai playing the sensitive artsy guy. And finally the leading lady Urmila who has no charisma whatsoever. How two guys end up trying to kill eachother over her is beyond me. She can't do scared out of her wits, she can't do shocked and she can't do empowered woman. She should take a page out of Neve Campbell's Scream days and learn to kick butt.
Just like most Bollywood movies this one had scenes so inconsistent and illogical I wanted to dive into the tv and whack someone. The worst scene was however the looney bin. *SPOILER* Correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't psychiatrists trained professionals with experience in dealing with schizophrenic psycho's? So, how on earth does Tarang manage to convince them that he didn't attack his lawyer, but that his lawyer injured himself? Granted, he was telling the truth. But as a psychiatrist treating a murderer, I think I would give the lawyer the benefit of the doubt instead of swallowing some sob story by the psycho like a caramel cake. And I surely wouldn't be ready to let the patient leave having seen him headlock the lawyer. The second worst scene involves fifty policemen failing to catch the psycho who manages to flee them, knock out a driver, change into his clothes and get behind the wheel of a car in the span of three minutes. Give me a break!!! I could go on, but I'll run out of space.
But it's not all bad. Because, let's face it, it's not like Hollywood thrillers are always that consistent and logical. And many times I have found myself calling Hollywood actors and actresses stupid dizzy cows. So, all in all, Deewangee is OK and it is made better by Ajay's performance. It would have been better if they had given the leading lady a kick butt role, but then Akshaye wouldn't have been able to rescue the damsel in distress. And as far as endings go, it was a pretty predictable one... let's see if you can guess it before the end of the first half of the movie like I did.
***/5 stars