Finally a film about friendship which is not melodramatic, not a tear jerker and ok, it's also not nearly as path breaking as Dil Chahta Hai but is close to being just about as entertaining. De Taali has a simple intention, to entertain , and it succeeds whole heartedly in that intention.
Abhi, Paglu and Amu are best friends and most importantly, they are regular, normal people, something that audiences will easily be able to relate to. The only real irregularity is in Abhi's life as he seems to have a knack for falling for the wrong women and hence has already broken up with 32 girlfriends. Paglu and Amu help him get over his most recent break up by making him realize that every woman he has fallen for has been slightly abnormal; one was obsessed with fire, another was a kleptomaniac, one was into drugs and the most recent was into spirituality and awakening the dead. Amu convinces him that he needn't change for any woman, as the perfect woman will love him for who he is. The fun really begins when while Paglu is explaining to Amu why he feels she is actually the right woman for Abhi, Abhi finds the perfect woman, Kartika, who for once, seems to be quite normal...or is she?
De Taali is not meant to be a logical film, nor is it meant to be great cinema. The main characters are very normal, but of course the situations are slightly abnormal as are a few of the other characters, like Kartika's family and of course Paglu's landlord. But what works is that the dialogues are very "non filmy", youthful and fresh. Everyone has had best friends and so they will be able to relate to the equation Abhi, Paglu and Amu share and what happens when a new person enters. The film is shot well showcasing places like Dubai and Cape Town, and the film's length has also been kept tight, a very needed element for a film of this genre although atleast two of the songs could easily have been cut out along with the alcoholism support group sequence. Another drawback is that the film could have been even funnier because although Abbas Tyrewala has done a great job in the writing department, but there are places where the scenes could have been a bit more comic. Even though the subject of the film is not novel, the treatment is because it saves us from all the emotional melodrama you expect when a character experiences heartbreak in a film.
The performances are great and for a change all the lead actors seem to be in their element. Ritesh is superb as clearly comedy is his forte. But the best thing about Ritesh's performances is that he ensures the comedy is not over the top, loud, or slapstick; he makes the character real in spite of some bizarre situations. His expressions and delivery are perfect. Surprisingly it is Rimi Sen who impresses even a little more than leading lady Aeyasha Takia. After all it is the first time, maybe since Hungama, that we are seeing Rimi in a role which actually requires some acting and not just looking pretty, and she delivers. Comedy seems to be a strong point for her as well as her expressions are just perfect and she is the apt choice for Kartika. Aeysha Takia is also very likeable in the film and although her expressions are perfectly restrained throughout, at times her dialogue delivery is a bit pretentious. Yet what impresses is how easily she has managed to pull of the casual jeans and t shirt, sweatshirt with a hood look. She has lost oodles of weight and is looking young. Aftab plays the man who wears his heart on his sleeve convincingly and all four actors together are a pleasure to watch.
If you want to watch a film just for fun, De Taali is a good choice as it entertains and doesn't bore and so its paisa vasool for the audiences!
