Youngistaan: Honesty of intention

Youngistaan

Starring: Jackky Bhagnani, Neha Sharma, Farooq Sheikh

Rated:5.5/10

A 28-year-old Prime Minister of India, living in with his more than hot girlfriend, leaving behind the the wild party sizzle in Tokyo to head a much more tumultuous party — the great Indian democracy — yes, you can talk of badlaav reel time. Youngistaan, as the title suggests, is a modern romance in the midst of, well, modern Indian politics. There is the right dose of righteousness in the proceedings, there is the stubbornness of youth too and there is a whole lot of talk around what’s happening around us, as the nation goes to poll in less than 15 days. So, as timing goes, this one is picture perfect, as content goes, it is tuned in with topicality and as performance goes, it’s young as expected, and happening too — till a certain extent that is.

Jackky Bhagnani as India’s youngest ever Prime Minister with a neat and clean image adding the iron to his made-to-order political clothing, gives a controlled performance and looks meaty in his role and dishy in his reading glasses. His girlfriend Neha is the much-needed prop that comes with a tadka of love and tantrums, all of which you tend to forgive, considering that you understand why she just can’t understand the change in her life without as much as a pause from Tokyo! The politics that is portrayed is unstable, the cleanliness drive that is sweeping it comes apart in places and the issues that stare the nation are dealt with callowness.

But you should see the movie for its honesty of intention and — of course — the graceful binding force and the poise that the good old Farooqe Sheikh brings to the proceedings as the PM’s personal aide. As always, he is a pleasure to be with. So long, Farooqeji for all those lovely and gracious moments you have left behind for us to savour and learn from on the big screen.

Source: Sunday Pioneer, 30 March, 2014