Aankh Micholi

The overall screenplay and its treatment is highly mediocre, with most of the jokes not landing at all. One of the key expectations of a viewer from a comedy is comedy, and that despite all efforts doesn’t work in Aankh Micholi. In fact, some of the scenes are even cringy, especially the climax sequence which somehow makes no sense at all. I believe the major problem with the film is its half baked screenplay and lackluster dialogues, and should have been fixed on the writing table first before taking the film on the floors. Director Umesh Shukla could have focussed a bit more on this aspect of pre-production. Additionally DOP Sameer Arya has gone overboard with wide shots in the film, while Sachin and Jigar’s music and background score does nothing for Aankh Micholi.

The lead pair, Mrunal and Abhimanyu, lacks chemistry. Mrunal, who has otherwise given some really good performances, seems to be lacking the spunk in this one. Dassani also feels out of place and seemed to be struggling with delivering comedy lines.Â

Umesh Shukla's direction fails to do justice to the plot at hand. The beginning portions are shaky. Thankfully, the film gets watchable once Rohit comes to see Paro. The intermission point has an unexpected twist and works well. Post-interval, the film suffers as the comic scenes are not that effective. And though one doesn't have to look for logic in such films, yet the absurdities will astonish viewers. This is especially true in the climax. It won't be a surprise if the serious scene in the end elicits more laughs than the scenes which are actually meant to be funny!

It’s pitiful to see able actors desperately trying to elevate shoddily written material. After the nightmarish Dream Girl 2, both Rawal and Banerjee are yet again wasted on another silly comedy. While Rawal still tries, Banerjee, for most of the runtime, merely roams around, mouth stuffed with betel leaves, waiting to be somebody’s punchline. It’s good to see Sharman Joshi again on the big screen but the repetitive gag of him repeating things because he can’t hear is fatiguing from the get-go. Only Divya Dutta seems to enjoy herself while playing a paranda-swinging cliche of a strong-willed Punjabi woman. I also felt happy for Vijay Raaz. After playing a character called Jauhari (jeweller) in Made in Heaven and the golden-suited Sona Bhai in Dream Girl 2, he finally gets to sell actual jewellery in a store.