Cinema Review: All the best

Cast Ajay Devgan, Sanjay Dutt, Bipasha Basu, Mughda Godse
Director Rohit Shetty
Rating G

Director Rohit Shetty may not be an original filmmaker, but he has a clear agenda - to entertain the audience by hook or by crook. After his Golmaal series, he manages to do just that with All The Best.

The entire set-up may look silly, but you can't help chuckling away at some of the zany characters and mirthful moments which more or less serve the purpose of a typical Bollywood madcap comedy.

Wannabe rock star Veer (Fardeen Khan) survives on the pocket money sent by his wealthy stepbrother, Dharam (Dutt) by lying to him that he is married to his girlfriend, Vidya (Godse). His best pal Prem (Devgan) runs an ancestral gym with his wife Jhanvi (Basu). In order to repay the loan taken from local goon Tobu (Johnny Lever), Prem advises Veer to rent his bungalow. The situation gets chaotic when Dharam's surprise visit to Veer's place leads to Jhanvi and Vidya being mistaken as Veer's wife and Prem's girlfriend respectively.

The plot is inspired by the classic play Right Bed, Wrong Husband and Shetty has added his own style to keep the show running. The film starts on a slightly tepid note but once Dutt enters the scene it turns into a nutty affair, furthered by crispy one-liners and quirky supporting characters. The pace slackens a bit in the second half with an unwanted emotional track.

Devgan knows how to work within his limitations. Khan plays a character similar to his role in No Entry but this time he looks more plump. Basu's primary aim is to look glamorous while Godse isn't at ease with comedy.

It is a comic treat to watch a mute Lever in a role clearly based on Prem Nath's Sir Judah character from Karz. However, despite its shortcomings, All The Best is the ‘best' Diwali release this year. So go-ahead and "just chill".