36 China Town: Movie Review

Rating: 2/5

First thing First; ‘36 China Town’ is no way comparable to 1974 cult classic suspense potboiler ‘Chinatown’ starring Jack Nicholson. 36 China Town isn’t even a thriller. 36 China Town is at best a moderate masala film with a medley of songs, comedy, romance, murder, suspense, bikinis and bums.

Abbas-Mastan who gave us hit like Khiladi, Baazigar, Soldier, Humraaz have a strange habit of dishing out half hearted attempts like Daraar, Baadshah and more recently Taarzan: The Wonder Car. At 36 China Town, loaded with an atrocious script they again find the going tough, try too hard and eventually mess it all up.

Produced by Subhash Ghai and directed by Abbas-Mastan duo, ‘36 China Town’ stars Shahid Kapur, Kareena Kapoor, Akshaye Khanna, newcomer Upen Patel, Payal Rohatgi, Isha Koppikar, Tanushree Dutta, Paresh Rawal and Johnny Lever.

The film opens with a Reshammiya song, and Upen Patel makes his (thankfully dubbed) debut.

Immediately after the song the focus shifts towards Sonia (Isha Koppikar) runs a casino in Goa. When her little son goes missing, she declares hefty reward money for anyone who finds her son and brings him back to her.

A movie geek and Shahrukh wannabe, Raj (Shahid Kapur), Malhotra at that, and Priya (Kareena Kapoor), a runaway bride, accidentally spot the kid and decide to decide to split the reward money.

But when they finally reach Sonia’s mansion late at night, they find her murdered! In shock and panic, Raj and Priya flee the scene of crime but they forget behind a suitcase.

Enter Inspected Karan (Akshay Khanna), the clueless know it all detective who keeps wringing lips, raises eyebrows but does nothing.

The suspects are equally tedious; a Casanova (Upen Patel) and two couples (Paresh Rawal-Payal Rohatgi and Johnny Lever-Tanaaz). While Paresh Rawal is a gambler and Payal Rohatgi hates him for that, Johnny Lever-Tanaaz’s marriage is on rocks.

Raj and Priya sing one song after another as wary viewer become edgy, Paresh and Jonny Lever try too hard, women shriek, while Akshay tires to solve the seemingly impossible case and then comes the anticlimax of the century. The identity of the killer is such an anti-climax that it will make you ask - why and how did Abbas-Mastan agree to direct a stupid film like ‘36 China Town’.

36 China Town’s main flaw is that its story keeps veering off the track and into other sub-plots that seem to have been incorporated in the story just for the heck of providing all-round entertainment.

Shahid-Bebo pairing sadly lacks the juice and mojo. Shahid Kapur has no screen presence. He tends to go over the top. He needs to control his facial expressions. Kareena is passe as ever. Upen’s dubbed voice and terrible acting is nothing to talk about.

Himesh Reshammiya’s music is the only saving grace for the movie. The ‘Aashiqui Meri’, ‘24 x 7′ and ‘Badi Dilchaspi Hai’ numbers are foot-tapping and gel well with the narrative. Cinematography by Ravi Yadav is commendable as well.

36 China Town is a dim-witted and grossly distasteful experence.

Star Cast of 36 China Town

Kareena Kapoor
Shahid Kapoor
Akshaye Khanna
Isha Koppikar
Johnny Lever
Upen Patel
Paresh Rawal
Payal Rohatgi
Rajendranath Zutshi

Directed by
Abbas Alibhai Burmawalla
Mastan Alibhai Burmawalla (as Mustan Alibhai Burmawalla)

Writing credits
Shyam Goel story and screenplay

Produced by
Subhash Ghai …. producer

Original Music by
Himesh Reshammiya

Cinematography by
Ravi Yadav (as Ravi Yadhav)

Film Editing by
Hussain A. Burmawala

Art Direction by
R. Verman Shetty

Other crew
Ganesh Acharya …. choreographer
Sameer …. lyricist