102 - Not Out Movie Review

102 NOT OUT
MOVIE REVIEW @
        YOGI'S CORNER


Finally, here comes a movie that portrays human relationships in such a fine delicate way that the movie is like a ship sailing in calm water and you are just smoothly sailing through, as you take in the view even as the captain (director) smartly embarks you on a journey that you never want to end.

Unfortunately, we have been brought up on an unhealthy diet of cinematic relationships based on high-dose of melodrama, numerous twists and turns adding to the misery of misunderstandings via all the plethora of friends and vamps , with a lot of song dance and millions of tears (and possibly in numerous rib breaking fighting climax) later ends up in a finale of the relationship ending well and that too only if it were to be a happy ending.

On the other end of the spectrum is this *102 not out* which has a pointed script storyline. The narrative is very taut and keeps the audience relaxed in the ambience of the cold AC of the theatre, the reclining seats and you won't even be fighting to figure out which side is your arm rest. Versatile actors that they already are, it would not have been tough at all for them to get under the character of Dattatrya Vakhariya (Amitabh Bachchan) and Babu Vakhariya (Rishi Kapoor). Both the father and son duo, exhibit a sense of chemistry while underlying a sense of respect for each other. A real life 76 year old AB, plays a reel life Dattatrya all of 102 but a zest and a quest of 22. Babu, 75 (RK in real life is 65) ,on the other hand is a slouched old man with the weight of the world on his shoulders and letting the clock rule his inconsequential life. The entire movie is based on these 2 main protagonists who display an amazing sense of camaderi  between themselves. The very fact that the 102 old maintains his zest for life while the 75 year old man behaves his age , becomes a comical base for the story itself. A slightly dim wit ,Dhiru (Jimit Trivedi) but with a heart of gold is the perfect glue between this father and son and their idiosyncrasies. A relatively new comer and definitely a side line actor , Jimit does well to share the screen with the 2 legends. The entire movie revolves around 2+1 cast and is largely limited to the confines of the house. The paucity of the outdoor, cinematic locales is more than compensated by the sprawling and quaint bungalow of the Vakhariyas .

So suddenly, the senior Vakhariya finds a new muse in wanting to become the eldest man alive and to do that he is just 16 years away. Amongst the other things that he needs to fulfil his quest, he needs positive vibes all around him and his 75 year old son is anything but that. Not deterred, he comes up with a simple solution that Babu would stay in an Old Folks home until be achieves that record. Easier said than done, as Babu who has been living in this house for ages not only finds the idea of age record ridiculous but shifting him out to an aged home is beyond his worst nightmares. Why !! He can’t even sleep without his childhood blanket and curtains. To which DV gives Babu an option of fulfilling his every challenge to which Dhiru will stand as a witness. The challenges are innocuous and there in lies the childishness of the aged “couple” and their accomplice.

Luckily, there are no long drawn flashbacks nor any background on how the father son ended up being how and what they are today. Some poignant memories of the past are just flown over in some soothing songs which get left behind in the movie hall. Few lines (at best a stanza) of yester years musical melodies of Kishore Kumar either blend in with the conversation that the 2 have or provides it as a afterthought. “ waqt ne kiya kya haseen sitaam” evokes some strong old memories for Babu but once again no painful long drawn flashbacks. One would have thought of or even rooted for a strong face off between these illustrated thespians; ala Amitabh v Dilip Kumar and possibly the only scene that would leave you craving for. Infact the only meaningfully powerful dialogue would actually be a monologue where DV mutters under his breath ... “mein tumhe rok toh nahi sakta Babu but mein mere bete ko usske bete se harne nahi dunga".  AB saying this in seemingly simple monologue lends a great depth and sincerity to the words.
While I breezed through the movie with a light hearted smile all through out the movie, I wish that the 2 characters were more Punjabi than Gujarati. The comic timing and emotional quotient is impeccable but a Punjabi tadka would give it more credence than the flavour from a Gujju dhokla, the dialogues lack the punch and at times even the delivery is bit off. (Probably influenced by the fact that this is adapted from a Gujarati play by Saumya Jyoti).
Not a big deal but one has to find a flaw somewhere. Strangely enough, Amitabh's renderation of .....Waqt ne kiya ... is conspicuous by its absence in the entire film.

Yogi says : A must watch esp with your family and exchange notes on who is playing which role !
4 star ****