Not a fan of Bollywood movies I often have to be dragged to the viewing of a 3 hour song and dance fest which is usually a poor copy of a Hollywood flick. As a result, I expected very little from Badmash Company and what seemed like another predictable copy. Instead, Parmeet Sethi present an answer to Sodebergh's Ocean's 11. Sethi enlists the talents of a young and exciting cast that, uncharacteristically deliver in their performances. Sure, there is always room for improvement but as far as performances go, one must applaud their efforts especially that of Vir Das. Anupm Kher, in an almost cameo performance, gives the audience what they expect, a role that he makes his own and smacks out of the park.
Teen pin-up Shahid Kapur, in spite of his school boy features, comes through and gives a credible performance which is refreshing in an industry that is plagued with over acting. The uncharacteristically original plot starts to wear on and become clichéd three quarters in but manages to pull it back with an interesting twist at the end.
The attention to detail is impressive as a majority of facets are kept true to the time line in which the story takes place, such as video cassettes and not DVD's and the vintage stock exchange. Although this isn't consistent throughout the entire movie, it is a step in the right direction and once again, refreshing!
All in all, Badmash Company is a original plot, atypically directed and puts forth a cast that portray their characters convincing. Thanks to Sethi and the Cast, there is still hope for Bollywood!
