The region of Chambal is notorious for its feared dacoits. There are not too many dreaded tales that one hears of now, but central India has often been the hub for filmmakers to plot their tales of dacoity.
Little known filmmaker Karan Butani is next on this list with his upcoming desi spaghetti, titled Phamous, set in Chambal, Madhya Pradesh.
Going by the trailer, Phamous is a dark comedy that, if not meant for the family audiences, is not for a niche audience either.
The theme of the film centres around power, love, lust and justice. We have Kay Kay Menon who is a dabangg-styled, dreadful don in search of power. There is Jimmy Shergill’s character who is seeking love. It is lust for Pankaj Tripathi, while good old Jackie Shroff is out seeking justice with guns.
It is the individual desires of these characters that leads to war; a game of guns and power. And the film has its rustic humour too. In times, where most filmmakers give away much of the film’s plot in the trailer, the director refrains from explaining too much. Except for one, you don’t even get to know the names of the charcters. Butani has presented a crisp, sharp, witty trailer.
In a pleasant surprise, for once Shergill not only gets a girl but has entered a wed lock too. However, there’s a Ramayanesque touch to the film with Tripathi’s colorful character lusting for the new bride (Shriya Saran).
Mahie Gill has been known for her bold roles but here the girl plays a demure teacher, Rosy, who shuns Tripathi's advances. Interestingly, Gill played the lusty wife in the Saheb, Biwi Aur Gangster franchise.
Though the character is evil, you are left amused by Tripathi’s antics. He is seen making love to a woman inside a jail who addresses him as bhaisaab (brother) and asks 'why are you crying?' to which Tripathi replies, 'Sex karte waqt kya aadmi emotional nahi ho sakta kya (Can’t a man get emotional while having sex?)'.
Then we have Kay Kay Menon using a silly, but funny pun on Turkey. Brijendra Kala as the fearful cop looks like one to look out for.
In Karan Butani's Phamous, guns will blaze and so will the rustic, desi humour.
The film is set to be released on 1 June.
Watch the trailer here: