Friday, 21 June 2013

ENEMMY (LAW AND DISORDER)-2013


Released On: 21 Jun 2013
Directed By: Ashu Trikha
Starring: Mithun Chakraborty, Suniel Shetty, Kay Kay Menon, Mahaakshay Chakraborty, Johny Lever, Uvika Chaudhary, Zakir Hussain, Mumait Khan, Akshay Kapoor, Priyanka Upendra, Deepraj Rana
First things first! Let the title ENEMMY not mislead you into believing that this one's about a war with the neighbouring country or with the extremists. This one's about the battle within: The conflict between cops and gangsters. A recipe that's worked several times in the past…

Without beating around the bush, let me state that masala movies that depict the fight between virtuous/upright and evil/wicked can never go out of fashion. Bollywood has been churning out suchmasaledaar entertainers since time immemorial. Asshu Trikha's ENEMMY too borrows from films of yore. The good news is that ENEMMY remains faithful to the entertainers that masses love and relish. The distressing news is that ENEMMY relies too heavily on unabashed conventionalism, brandishing the same stuff in the name of entertainment.

A thriller set against the backdrop of the battle between the Mumbai mafia and cops, ENEMMY is the story of four officers [Suniel Shetty, Kay Kay Menon, Johny Lever and Mahaakshay], who are entrusted with the responsibility of cracking down on the underworld and cleaning up the city by any and all means possible. When the four initiate an investigation and manage to nab Mukhtar [Zakir Hussain], a crime lord, everyone heaves a sigh of relief. However, the relief is short-lived and after a brief spell of peace, the gang-wars start again, shocking everyone.

Deciding to up the ante, the political leader R.G. [Akshay Kapoor] sends a CBI officer [Mithun Chakraborty] to Mumbai to get to the bottom of things. However, what the officer discovers is that the gang-war is merely a façade to find out about a heist, in which hard cash was stolen from Mukhtar, who will stop at nothing to get his money back. The question is... who is crazy enough to steal from the king of the city underworld?

Trikha borrows every ingredient on the shelf that constitutes an entertainer -- cops versus gangsters, fists of fury, heavy-duty drama, item song, clap-trap dialoguebaazi... as a matter of fact, he goes full throttle with the assets available on shelf. This is vintage 80s masala that refuses to age. Once the stage is set, the narrative, although interesting at times, meanders into been-there-seen-that kind of situations, more so towards the penultimate moments. Sure, Trikha tries to integrate a twist or two in the tale, but, again, you know where the film is heading a few sequences later.

The soundtrack too pays homage to the films of yore. The song towards the end credits is the best of the lot. ENEMMY relies heavily on action and the stunts/action do give you adrenaline rush at times. Dialogue are aimed at the hoi polloi.

Although it boasts of an ensemble cast, it is Mithun, the veteran, who stands out with an earnest performance. Suniel is in top form after a hiatus. Kay Kay fits into the masala scenario faultlessly. Mahaakshay shows vast improvement over his earlier works and seems more self-assured and confident now. Johny Lever, cast in a serious role, is alright. Zakir Hussain, playing the menacing villain, is first-rate. He's mean and maniacal without trying too hard.

Yuvika Chaudhary doesn't get much to do. Priyanka Upendra is alright. Deepraj Rana is wasted. Akshay Kapoor plays the mandatory politician well.

On the whole, ENEMMY is vintage masala in a new avatar. This one's aimed at the masses primarily!

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