You know you are in theater for a good time when the protagonist of a movie is Nawazzuddin Siddiqui. Yet Freaky Ali doesn't quite match up despite his presence. The film is all about Siddiqui's journey and he owns it. From the first scene of the film, you can’t help but smile at the rawness the talented actor brings with him on screen.
Nobody was expecting an artsy excellence from Freaky Ali, considering the fact that director Sohail Khan believes in mass entertainers with a ‘disguised message’ like Jai Ho. However, the film even fails on that parameter. While the makers thought getting Siddiqui on board will solve all their problems, they forgot to work on the plot and everything else in between.
The story revolves around an undergarment seller with a talent. The man is great with a club and knows how to put his shots right. His talent is spotted by a caddy and there begins Ali’s journey from a gali to a golf course. The film’s plot had a lot of potential but the makers attempt at making it comedy-laden didn’t quite work well. What could’ve been an emotional and inspiring journey ends up into a superficial melodrama filled with poor jokes.
The film was aimed to be an inspirational ‘game changer’ and such a film requires a good supporting cast. However, Freaky Ali lacks in that department as well. Apart from the protagonist, none of the actors feel connected to their own story. Arbaaz Khan(Maqsood) is in a forgettable role, Amy Jackson is good for nothing, Seema Biswas tries to do as much as possible to the limited screen space given to her, Jas Arora is unbearable and Nikitan Dheer can’t act to save his life. The only character that comes closest to his character is Asif Basra.
There are lots of unnecessary subplots in the film which result in boredom after a point. Jackie Shroff is in a cameo role which could’ve easily been avoided. The love track between Ali and Megha (Amy Jackson) is dud, Maqsood and Ali have more sparks than the supposed onscreen pair. The climax of the film will remind you of late 70’s-early 80’s Bollywood and the predictable plot line will compel you to get up and take a walk outside to clear your mind.
The film is a forgettable mess. It feels bad to see a talent like Nawazauddin wasted by a superficial story and poor execution. The baseline was innovative and could’ve worked wonders if Sohail would’ve played safe and stuck to just making an inspirational story.
The film is like a sixer on a golf field, irrelevant and unnecessary. Even Siddiqui’s brave act can’t save this one.
Director:Sohail Khan
Cast: Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Amy Jackson, Arbaaz Khan, Seema Biswas, Jas Arora, Nikitan Dheer
Cast: Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Arbaaz Khan, Amy Jackson, Jas Arora
Director: Sohail Khan
