Cabaret review :
This direct to digital platform film fits perfectly in to the "so bad that it's good" category. A supposed intense love story of an alcoholic journo (Gulshan Devaiah) and a cabaret dancer (Richa Chadda) turns in to a sloppy thriller with disgraced cricketer turned awful actor S. Sreesanth getting a meaty role. Oh no!
Cabaret, co -produced by Pooja Bhatt, was lying in the cans since 2016 due to unresolved differences with her financiers until Zee finally acquired it in 2018 for an online premiere. Going by its title, if you expect a desi 'Moulin Rouge' (2001), banish the thought!! The choreographed dances here, look more like left overs from Madhur Bhandarkar's 'Chandni Bar' (2001) days of yore..
Richa Chadda is a fine actor alrite however, dance is clearly not her fortè as evident in this film. Playing a victim who ends up killing her two tormentors - a corrupt cop (Vipin Sharma) unzipping his pants for a quickie and later, an underworld element (Gulshan Grover) inviting her on a casting couch (literally!!) - Richa brings the right amount of restraint and depth to her character. Her sincere performance is the film's only positive.
Gulshan Devaiah tries to be Emraan Hashmi but fails completely in the love making scenes. In fact, the way he makes contorted faces while having sex with Richa makes the scene laughable rather than erotic...indeed, a rare occasion when you will LOL at a sex scene.
The biggest mystery of the film is the name of Sreesanth's character. Playing don with a golden heart, he's called Chitta, Chetta, Jetta, Chatta sometimes all of these in the same scene. Truly hilarious! As for his acting skills (Cabaret was supposed to be his debut), the less lamented the better.
Undoubtedly, Cabaret is a film which I wouldn't ever recommend for a trip to the theatre. But it can make a satisfying lazy Sunday afternoon viewing. Specially to those who love the "so bad that it's good" kinda cinema!!
Regards,
Sumeet Nadkarni.
