Films should be viewed in the context of their genre. If you go in expecting TMK to be like ‘Main Hoon Na’ or ‘Om Shanti Om’, you will be disappointed. This is a slapstick comedy that is different from Farah Khan’s earlier offerings and more in line with what her brother makes. Viewed in that context, it is a wacky fun film that manages to entertain, but makes one serious demand of you: forget logic.
The plot revolves around Tabrez Mirza Khan, a noted ‘con artist’ who seeks to steal a train laden with antiques that the Government is moving from one point to another. In order to pull this off, he pretends to be the brother of Manoj Night Shayamalan and calls himself Manoj Day Ramalan and shoots a movie at a village located beside the railway track and signs up the whole village to play roles. He also signs an actor, Aatish Kapoor who is desperate to win an Oscar. Is he able to pull this off is what the plot tries to uncover.
Farah Khan and her husband Shirish Kunder, give the viewer an entertaining first half filled with mad one-liners and set up the film for what could have been a tighter 2nd half. However, she goes a bit too far in expecting the audience to pretend they never had a brain, let alone leave it at home. Despite this, for someone seeking escapist fare, the film will deliver. The styling, art direction, choreography and music are all first rate. The dialogues could have been a tad sharper, with some lines falling flat on their face. There is a bit of insensitivity on show towards the impoverished, the dark skinned, rural populace and people with skin problems.
Akshay Kumar has once again proved that he is the King of this genre. His comic timing is excellent as is his body language. He carries the film manfully. Roles like this are right up his alley. Akshaye Khanna as Aatish Kapoor in a lampooning character also shows a lighter side to his personality. He hams but I suspect is required to. Katrina Kaif is brilliant in ‘Shiela ki Jawani’ but is only eye candy. The rest make up the numbers.
Watch ‘Tees Maar Khan’ for its laughs, but if you are the type who sees all films with the same lens, then stay away. I suspect more people will do the former, the ‘critics’ notwithstanding.