Mubarakan trailer: Arjun and Anil Kapoor’s antics are irritating

In 2016, Abhishek Chaubey's Udta Punjab introduced Hindi film audiences to the talent named Diljit Dosanjh. Sikhs have often been stereotyped in Hindi films as annoying, dim-witted, over-the-top characters. Raja Hindustani (1996), Singh Is Kinng (2008) and Santa Banta Pvt Ltd (2016) come to mind, among many others. But Dosanjh’s performance and the film in general made us believe that from here on Sikhs will not be portrayed in a stereotypical manner.

However, the hope has been belied barely a year later. Director Anees Bazmee threatens to turn the clock back with Mubarakan, which stars Arjun Kapoor, Anil Kapoor, Ileana D’Cruz and Athiya Shetty.

The film's makers released the trailer today and to keep it simple, it is terrible. It suggests Mubarakan is another film that will stereotype Sikhs as loud and even atrocious.

Twins Karan and Charan (both played by Arjun Kapoor) are like chalk and cheese. Charan is the ideal, obedient lad whereas brother Karan comes across as the mischievous one. The only physical difference is that Charan wears a turban while Karan does not.

Charan meets Binkle (Athiya Shetty) and seems smitten by her but is not ready to commit. Binkle’s mother (played by Ratna Pathak Shah) is seen insulting Charan’s father (played by Pavan Malhotra).

The trailer also shows Sweety (Ileana D’Cruz) whose innocent looks are quite deceptive, as she is up to no good.

Perhaps Charan’s parents want Sweety to be Karan’s bride, but the woman is more interested in the innocent Charan. What happens next will be revealed on 28 July when the film is scheduled for release.

From the trailer, Mubarakan does not comes across as a great story. Anil Kapoor plays the uncle Kartar Singh, who is over-the-top, loud and could do with some fresh jokes.

Mubarakan also does the unforgivable. It takes Pakistani pop artiste Hasan Jahangir’s 'Hawa Hawa' song and butchers it with lyrics that were probably written by a nine-year-old.

Bazmee had pulled off his Sikh (pun intended) brand of humour in Akshay Kumar’s Singh Is Kinng (2008), but nine years later will audiences warm up to more of the same in Mubarakan? Only time will tell. Meanwhile, watch the trailer:

You can also make your prediction of the movie's box-office performance here: Box-office predictor.