Dostana - Good humour or piece of crap?

This is the first time I'm reviewing a movie, so its going to be fun (for me at least...!

To the uninitiated, Dostana released last weekend with Abhishek Bachchan, John Abraham and Priyanka Chopra. The premise of the movie is that Abhishek and John, seeking a quick fix to their housing woes in Miami, lie that they are gay (and a couple) to get into the gorgeous sea facing apartment owned by Priyanka (or is it her irritating hammy aunt?). Once there, the predictable happens - they both fall head and heels in love with Priyanka yet have to put on the charade of being gay.....and 4358 purportedly funny incidents and a further 2348 saaad jokes later, the movie ends with John and Abhishek smooching each other.

Whats to like - the lead actors. Abhishek is the only one acting in the movie. Priyanka looks HOT (with a bubbling lava image here...!) and John is even hotter. Both cannot act to save their lives, so distract our attention by dropping their clothes - I guess most people in the audience would be fine with that bargain, at least I was. The music and the length of the movie were decent.

Whats not to like - the rest. Kirron Kher hams so much, her character in Om Shanti Om died of a complex. Bomman Irani was disgusting - as an actor I respect, I think this was one contract he didnt have to sign - he dons the "typical" gay fashion magazine editor and carries it off with his usual panache (his ability to get into the skin of the character is commendable) but the role itself is very badly etched out and leaves a very bad taste in the mouth. The less said about Bobby Deol, the better - he manages to do a bad job even in this movie.....my god, by god, oh god - some people never learn..!

That leaves us with the movie as a whole......apart from a few situational moments that were genuinely funny (like Abhishek insisting that Gabbar is gay - " look at the number of times, he looks at his gun and exclaims, Kitne Aadmi hain..!:-)), the rest of the movie is a very sad commentary on Indian society's inherent racism, sexism. We are very comfortable ridiculing anyone and everyone thats different from us - so to make fun of women, dark skinned people, folks from other religions, lower caste members and of course, gays and lesbians......it hurts to see the non-chalance with which the average Indian male is racist and sexist - sometimes both at the same time. 

This idea of superiority and inferiority by the color of the skin, religious beliefs, sex, age, sexual preferences - it sickens me no end. And this movie panders to those egos, those very ignoramusses like a Tom and Jerry cartoon lights up my wife's face.....it was ridiculous looking around the theater observing the youth clapping and roaring in laughter even as I squirmed in my seat - not once, not twice but perhaps half the length of the movie. 

I feel an insensitive, piece of crap movie like this is unnecessary at this stage in Indian society's development. I have always believed movie represent the pulse of society at any given point in time and if this movie represents larger Indian societal beliefs - give me the U.S anyday.

I'm very dissapointed in the lead actors - Abhishek, John and Priyanka. Even more dissapointed in the supporting cast - Kirron and especially Bomman Irani that they "chose" to do this movie. I hope there are better days ahead - but if this is a portend, we will lie waiting for a while yet.