Mumbai Express - Catch it before it's off the platform

Basic Law of Exams: "The more studying you did for the exam, the less sure you are as to which answer they want. "

The affinity Kamal Hassan has for comedy is amazing and needs no foreword. Mumbai Express is no exception for his expertise in the territory of amusing plays. But Mumbai Express in general sense is quite different from what you would've seen in his CrAzY MoHaN accompanied movies like Panchatantiram and recent block buster, Vasool Raja. To make a convincing classifcation, we need to have a better outlook on Mumbai Express.

Mumbai Express, the movie storied and screenplayed by Kamal Hassan and directed by Singeetham Srinivasa Rao begins with a terrific scenary of Mumbai. The scenary portrays a valley and you could easily recognize the character "V" on the movie screen. To the either side of this, you can feel the city houses built up and being exhibited. It makes up the rest of "M".

Chidambaram (Pasupathy) and Johnson (Vyapuri) concocts a totally hilarious and absurd plan of kidnapping a school kid for ransom. As the third member of the gang falls sick, his brother-in-law Avinashi (Kamal Haasan) a.k.a Mumbai Express is forced to join the team by the sentiments and stories made up by Avinashi's elder sister (Kovai Sarala). In the movie, Kamal Haasan plays the role of a biker living a mediocre life by doing circus shows on his bike named after his own name (Mumbai Express). In the mean course of time, an insurance agent (Ramesh Aravind) enters the gang and exhibits his role as the "Financial Advisor" for the crooks.

Things don't seem to go the way it was planned and everything ends in a huge mess-up. The whole kidnap scene doesn't happen for the child they've actually planned for. Instead Avinashi ends up kidnapping (Manisha Koirala)'s son who also happens to be the illegal son of the city Assistant Commissoner of Police (Nasser).

The story continues with the usual misunderstanding and imbroglios between the characters. The final semi hour of the movie is about how Mumbai Express convinces Manisha Koirala and her son in Mumbai Express and flees with his Mumbai Express viz. that's the climax and you might want to watch the movie atleast once to understand this :-)

The comedy in the movie is so natural or rather classic - and can be compared to Kamal hits of early 90's - Michel Madhana Kama Raajan and Apoorva Sagotharargal.

Pros:

• Kamal's deceptive dialogues and double meanings

Cons:

• Poor graphics and occasional blurred/distorted scenes
  
• Not so impressive (unnecessary) subject on love

My Movie Rating: 7 / 10

Value for Money: 8 / 10