Volunteers say ‘Let’s do it Delhi’- Hindustan Times

Volunteers say ‘Let’s do it Delhi’- Hindustan Times

Movie Review- Karthik Calling Karthik

Powered by: Chakpak.com	Kartik Calling Kartik

This movie is unlikely to make it to the wish list of ‘aam aadmi’ but the discerning cinema buff is going to love it. Farhan Akhtar has proved his talent time and again and he hasn’t disappointed this time either. It’s being promoted by the multiplexes as a thriller but I would like it to be specifically categorised as a suspense drama. And, what a drama! In true Hitchcockian style the suspense is not revealed almost to the end. Of course the medically inclined start having an idea of what’s it’s all about half way into the movie but therein lies the excellence in crafting the narrative. We all know that we are witnessing an impossible situation but the director keeps you thinking about possibilities and even then manages to spook you into believing otherwise.
Farhan plays Karthik the classical white collared pen pusher who is constantly steam rolled into submission by his overbearing boss and riddled with the guilt of having caused the death of his brother in his childhood. Deepika Padukone is the bindaas architect in the same company and also the girl of his dreams who is always looking through his insignificant self. A silent lover he constantly pours his feeling into the numerous mails to her which are always saved as a draft and never sent. Despite his hard work in the office he gets sacked. Alone, without a job, without a girl and after days of mindless punching of the buttons of the television remote and rotating the Rubik’s cube he decides to kick the bucket. Just as he about to pop a few dozen sleeping pills, the phone rings. The voice on the other end who too calls himself Karthik becomes the road to redemption for this also ran creature and metamorphoses’ him into a slick go getter who is re hired by his bully boss with all the money and perks of a hot shot executive. The current lover of Deepika is literally slapped out of her life and in walks our man Karthik oozing charm and sensitivity. The voice on the other end of the phone constantly monitors its student’s upward progress. Everything is perfect? There is a rider. No one is to know that Karthik is calling Karthik. Split between the loyalties to the woman of his dreams and his mentor, Karthik is called upon to make a Faustian choice. The rest of the movie is about the repercussions of his actions.
Its serious stuff but the movie is replete with the classical one liners which are becoming a Farhan hallmark. It’s crazy humour one minute which acquires dark hues in another. The use of Rubik’s cube throughout the movie is a particular deft touch which needs to be interpreted by the viewer. The music by Shanker Ehsan Loy is good as always especially the title song but the surprise package here was the fantastic background score by the rock band Midival Punditz ably assisted by the US based Karsh Kale. I found the movie really good but go and make up your own mind