VICTORIA NO.203
DIAMONDS ARE FOR EVER!!
By Vishal Verma

Rating:- * *

What is it?
Another remake of this week!

Another indication that bollywood is running short of ideas
(sakt jarrrot hai ek ‘original’ writer ki, seva kare jo cinegoers ki )

Anant Mahadevan’s fetish for 70 and 80’s never ends

Two songs from the original (thoda sa tehero, do bechare) are remixed well.

Chemistry between Om Puri and Anupam Kher is interesting and entertaining but below par with the original between Dada Muni and Pran.

Promising debut by Sonia Vinod Mehra

Being marketed in the genre of comedy/suspense

Comedy – Yes here and there.

Suspense – where my friend! Oh that! Acha,Acha fine ok !

Kamal Sadanah reminds us that he is an actor by turning producer

Thrill of a diamond chase is missing.

Two remakes this week, one is ‘AAG ‘ let ram Gopal Varma shot his tongue out and say it is not ‘sholay’ but we have seen it already and know what it is – pathetic. And the other is 1972 blockbuster ‘Victoria No. 2003 directed by Brij starring ‘Ashok Kumar, Pran, Saira Banu, Navin Nischol in the main lead.

The original was funny, entertaining with some fantastic performance by Pran and Ashok Kumar and the remake – thank God! has some entertaining moments. The chemistry between Om Puri and Anupam Kher is enjoyable. The movie reaches to its crescendo with an intriguing climax – the take off on south Indian films on the set is thoroughly enjoyable.

Unlike his counterpart RGV, Anant Mahadevan does not tries to experiment and makes a simple remake of the 1972 with today’s camera, technicians and actors, blends it with a fresh new look.

The movie has its enjoyable moments a better work on the chemistry between the oldies and chopping a couple of songs would have given better results.

And happily forces me to write in the format which I use to.

Whats it all about?
Revolves around a diamond robber and the lives of people who get entangled in search for the stolen diamonds. The screen opens with an exhibit of 100 crore diamonds. Bobby Bombata (Jaaved Jaafri messes up the given opportunity), a nefarious industrialist and Devyani (Preeti Jhangiani, talk less glare more) are obsessed by the diamonds. Bombata hires the services of a cat burglar, Tora (Tora Khasgir, Indian answer to Charlie’s Angels, Tomb Riders!). However, Tora escapes the diamonds and plans to double-cross Bombata. As she is about to escape, she runs into the infamous Ranjit (Kamal Sadanah – apan yana pahilt ka? Coming after a long time on the big screen! ), who stabs her. While on the run, she falls next to Victoria No. 203 in which she hides the diamonds.

In the meantime, Jimmy (Jimmy Sheirgill- good to see him in short hair and coming out of K.L Saigal hair do) who is an expert on diamonds takes a ride in the Victoria and falls in love with the rider Sara(Sonia Vinod Mehra- confident debut).

The two key players in the film, Raja (Anupam Kher) & Rana (Om Puri) – good chemistry, are small time robbers who eventually lend up with the key that holds the info about the diamonds.

What follows is a series of events which consist of couple of murders, quite a few songs, some good comedy, a dull love affair with the much hyped suspense and an enjoyable climax.

What to look out for?
Intresting plot revised by writers Sunjiv Puri and Manoj Tyagi. Anant Mahadevan’s narration is simple he keeps himself away from experiments.

Chemistry between veterans Om Puri and Anupam Kher is a plus point. (Could have been done better).

Confident debut by Sonia Vinod Mehra, grooming is required as far as acting is concerned.

Jimmy Sheirgill is fine. Jhonny Lever evokes laugher after a long time.

Kamal Sadanah is strictly Okay. Production values are adequate.

What Not?
Chemistry between Om Puri and Anupam Kher could have been much better. The length, a couple of songs could have been chopped without any grievances.

Javed Jaffery messes up a good opportunity. The character Sara who works as a call centre employee by day and rides a Victoria by night in the get up of male is unconvincing and hard to digest.

Preeti Jhangiani disappoints. Romance is cold.         

Conclusion: All said and done, producer Kamal Sadanah’s ‘ Victoria No.203’ under the banner of Angath Arts Pvt. Ltd., will have a rough ride because of the tough competition from the much hyped ‘Ram Goplal Verma Ki Aag’.

But after the initial hype fades out, which will be very soon, it may find patronage with the help of some word of mouth.