Dishoom review: This distant cousin of Dhoom is a one-time watch

Film: Dishoom (U/A)
Rating: 2.5/5

Even before director Rohit Dhawan’s Dishoom hits the interval, you realise that the makers shouldn’t have included the letters ‘I’ and ‘S’ in the title (you will know why once you read this review). But what really plays spoilsport is a narrative that is full of loopholes. Thankfully, an engaging screenplay and other masala elements make it a one-time watch.

Dishoom revolves around the abduction of star Indian cricketer Viraj Sharma (Saqib Saleem) just before India’s final match against arch rivals Pakistan in the Middle East. The authorities receive a video where the abductor, a die-hard Pakistani cricket fan, confesses to kidnapping Viraj since he wants Pakistan to win the final. He promises to release the cricketer after the final. India's external affairs minister sends special task officer Kabir (John Abraham) to the Middle East to aid the local police find Viraj.

Kabir, a no-nonsense guy with lots of attitude, becomes a cause for worry for the West Asian police as soon as he arrives. He selects trainee cop Junaid (Varun Dhawan) to be his aide, much to the annoyance of the authorities. The Kabir-Junaid duo realises that its mission is more dangerous than it had assumed when the notorious Wagah (Akshaye Khanna) enters the scene. But Kabir and Junaid receive timely help from an illegal immigrant-cum-thief Ishika (Jacqueline Fernandez).

The most positive aspect about Dishoom is that it focuses on being an entertainer and does not pretend to be anything else. The fast screenplay does not give you time to breathe. The rich, colourful visuals and high-octane action sequences add to the pleasing factors. The most striking feature turns out to be John and Dhawan's bromance. But their characters' striking similarities with ACP Jai Dixit and Ali of Dhoom are too obvious to ignore. This, however, isn’t the main problem with the film.

Expecting logic from films in this genre is like expecting a tiger to be vegetarian. But there is a thin line between providing escapist entertainment and taking the audience for granted, and this is where Dishoom falters. The narrative is full of humongous holes, huge even by the standards of mindless entertainers. The biggest example is the reason for the abduction (which is not the one mentioned above, by the way). 

Music, which plays an important role in such entertainers, rises to an above-average level here. It is mostly helped by ‘Sau Tarah Ke’ and ‘Jaaneman Aah.’ Ayananka Bose’s camerawork plays a big role in creating the larger-than-life experience. 

The performances are a mixed bag. John Abraham fits the image of a tough, egotistic cop but is once again let down by his limited acting skills. Varun Dhawan adds life to the character with his charm and innocence. But there was no real challenge for him. Jacqueline Fernandez struggles with her dialogue delivery yet again. Akshaye Khanna is the surprise element. His villanious antics are impressive. Saqib Saleem as cricketer Viraj Sharma (based unsubtly on Virat Kohli) puts on a decent act. Akshay Kumar and Parineeti Chopra make an impact in a cameo. 

Overall, Dishoom is a one-time watch for lovers of hard-core commercial entertainers. Its huge cost of production is likely to go against it as far as its box-office prospects are concerned. 

Director: Rohit Dhawan
Producers: Nadiadwala Grandson Entertainment
Writers: Rohit Dhawan, Tushar Hiranandani and Hussain Dalal
Cast: John Abraham, Varun Dhawan, Jacqueline Fernandez, Akshay Khanna, Saqib Saleem
Music: Pritam
Genre: Action Adventure
Runtime: 124 minutes