Ready Movie Review II

Movie Takies.com 4/5 Star     

'Ready' For Dhamakedaar Fun! 'No Entry' Meets 'Hum Aapke Hain Koun..!' 

Here's a clue; if you're expecting a great deal of cerebral stimulation, if you're looking for a sensitive message to take back, then you might be in the wrong cinema hall. If you're simply looking to be entertained out of your wits, instead, then Salman's latest, Ready, is just what the doctor ordered for you.

Anees Bazmee's newest release, Ready, is a film with its eyes on the big prize. And the prize, here, of course, is its superstar Salman Khan. In a way, the film confirms that Sallu dearest is simply bigger than his releases. So, appropriately, his character here has a larger than life persona, who can do no wrong. And that's just right too, given that when he's on screen, it's quite impossible to take your eyes off of him.

Unabashedly single screen focused in its outlook, nobody is about to go watch Ready for its "nuanced" plot, and the makers of the film are quite okay with that. A remake of a hit southern comedy with the same name, Ready isn't really a formulaic film, but still has all the masalatrappings that come with it, with a plot where No Entry meets Hum Aapke Hain Koun..! And of course, there is the liberal, liberal dose of Salman to top it off, which makes it oh so deliciously self-referential.

It begins right from the start, when Salman is introduced in the Zarine Khan-starrer item number, character dheela, which some industry watchers say is Khan's take on his own image within B'town. Also, quite aptly, Salman's character too, is called Prem, a name that he has sported in some of his biggest hits, films like Hum Aapke Hain Koun..! and Hum Saath Saath Hain, which are often referenced here.

The film takes off from the point where Prem's family, which consists of a picture-perfect mother and father, along with a loving couple of chachas and chachis, decide to have him married off to a girl called Pooja on their Guruji's recommendation, who says that she's the only one who can tame their wild child. Things take a 'comedy of errors' type turn when an unwilling Prem decides to ditch Pooja at the airport when he goes to receive her, only to have a girl called Sanjana traipse in masquerading as Pooja. Sanjana has a story of her own, being on the run from two dreaded gangsters, the Chaudhary brothers, who she is the niece of, both at war with each other, and looking to get her married to their respective brother-in-laws, so that they can get their hands on her multi-million inheritance.

When Prem learns the truth about Sanjana, he decides to con her uncles into allowing him to marry her, with the unwitting help of Balidaan Bhardwaj, a naïve accountant to both the Chaudhary brothers, who he uses to bring the warring clans together by having his own family pose as billionaire business magnates, succeeding in the end by teaching everyone the value of family unity.

If all of that sounds too convoluted, one should know that the plot is every bit so. But then, given that the film is quite clearly a star vehicle for Salman Khan, every scene is designed around his persona and doesn't really need a strong storyline to hold it all together. The idea, instead, is to see Sallu simply be himself on screen and that, if films like Dabangg and Wanted are anything to go by, is always an enjoyable task.

That Asin goes toe-to-toe, attitude-wise, with Salman in every scene as Sanjana, is a huge plus. The pretty Southern belle has the gift of gab and a flair for comedy, adding to her charming screen presence. She also lights up the screen in the song sequences, especially dhinka chika, whose video is guaranteed to have every theatre hooting and catcalling in applause.

But the most perfect comic spoil for Salman's Prem has to be Paresh Rawal, who shines as a comedy star of the highest order here as the harassed and tortured Balidaan Bhardwaj. It's unfortunate that he only enters the plot post-interval, but thereafter, has the audiences in splits nonstop. Pre-interval, it is stand-up comic Sudesh Lahiri, who keeps the laugh quotient high.

The other highlight of the film is the truckful of cameos in the first few scenes of the film, which see the likes of Sanjay Dutt, Ajay Devgn,Kangna Ranaut and Arbaaz Khan crack up some comedy together. These apart, the other actors too, like Mahesh Manjrekar as Prem's forgetful father, Manoj Pahwa and Manoj Joshi as his uncles and Akhilendra Mishra and Sharat Saxena as Sanjana's two mamas, keep up with the pace of activity here, though the clichéd writing pulls down their act a few notches.

Speaking of the writing, it is admittedly not as strong as Salman's two previous star vehicles, Wanted and Ready, especially in the dialogues department. This is notable in the fact that the film is woefully short on quotable quotes and catchphrases that are always a highlight of Sallu's films. The only line which seems have to found approval with audiences seems to be Salman's go-to dialogue in the film, where he claims he never underestimates three things, in his words, "I, me aur myself."

However, what it lacks in the dialogue department, the film more than makes up on the musical side. The film's four songs, all by Pritam, are guaranteed chartbusters, especially dhinka chika and character dheela, which see Sallu back in his dabangg dancing mode.

Overall, Ready rides high on the Salman factor, which drives it through and through. Ultimately, the chuckle-a-minute laughriot is a must-watch for Salman fans, which basically means everyone. Keep your sense of logic and high cinema aside, and watch this one simply for the crazy, fun ride that it is. Dhamakedaar fun, this is a must-watch for the entire family. Our only advice; don't forget to hoot when Sallubhai's on screen!