Movie Review: Apna Sapna Money Money - Page 2

Movie Review
Apna Sapna Money Money - More Honey Than Money
Faridoon Shahryar, IndiaGlitz [Saturday, November 11, 2006]

There was a coffee advertisement where tennis star Sania Mirza is overwhelmed by the weight of expectations to know that parents had been naming their daughters Sania after her name. I hope she doesn't watch Sangeeth Sivan's mad-cap-sleaze-flick 'Apna Sapna Money Money' for it seems that the director is more obsessed with her 'assets' than her fantastic game. The manner in which Sania…Has been badnam(ed) in this Mukta Arts film is enough for her to file a PIL in the court. As for this B-grade film….It's sure to go down well with the front-bencher-penny-throwing-crowd. And why on earth Riteish Deshmukh and Anupam Kher have to resort to such banal humour…Beats me!

Sangeeth Sivan must have been encouraged by his Ekta Kapoor Sick-Flick (Oops….make that sex film) 'Kya Kool Hain Hum' to have attempted an ode to money (make that ode to cleavage) with double entendre jokes and a wafer thin plot (make that virtual wafer thin). I was hopeful of watching something different from Shreyas Talpade especially after 'Dor' but I was sorely disappointed with his majnu Arjun act who'd do anything to attract attention of simple belle Shivani (Riya Sen). Living in his gali mohalla, Shivani is the daughter of an educated Shastri ji (Anupam Kher) who turns horny when he heads into Sania (Riteish Deshmukh in one of his many disguises) and would do anything to lay his hands on oranges. Oranges!....Forget it!

Kishan (Riteish) is an imposter friend of Arjun. Now, this friend himself needs some help as a Kanchacheena Rana (Chunky Pandey) is after his life for he has cheated him in a chit fund scam in the bikini-friendly Goa. On the run Kishan changes faces with a reckless felicity. While doing so, he bumps into Sania, the big thief (Celina Jaitley) with nothing but a skimpy blue dress to wear throughout the film that reveals more than what it hides.

Sania is being hauntingly hunted by Inspector Na-Maane (Suneil Shetty) and his deputy Borkar (How apt). The Rs 50 crore worth diamonds lands up in Kishan's custody. And Carlos (Jackie Shroff), the post-dated-check-Don doesn't like it. This madness is catapulted to another level by Chote Sarkar (Rajpal Yadav) with his penchant for emulating the stark silence of Amitabh Bachchan in Ramu's 'Sarkar' while making a name for himself in the underworld. It's another story that he is operating from a seedy 'Tabela' with hundreds of cows for company.

Sangeeth Sivan is aiming to make a brand for himself like Priyadarshan, especially the climax-confusion where everybody is after everybody else. While Priyan's humour is mostly in good taste (excuse 'Garam Masala') Sivan's choice of comedy ranges from fantastic comical lines to banal-below-the-belt howlers. The nok-jhok between Rajpal Yadav and his crony Sunil Pal is hilarious. It's good to see The Laughter Challenge Champion Pal getting a role that makes him get noticed ('Phir Hera Pheri' was a joke on his talent). Riteish too is fast emerging as an actor of immense potential (Though he should resist from being typecast as the sex-flick-expert type). I also wish I could have seen him more in his jeans and Ts than the Salwar Kameez of his drag queen get-up. Koena Mitra didn't have to try too hard to be the original drag-queen as she looks a weirdo with those kohl eyes and a strangely structured face that makes her more manly than anything else. She sizzles on the saucy numbers alright. But it's a long time before she could think of being taken seriously as an actress.

Riya Sen, Celina Jaitley and Shreyas Talpade are wasted. As for Anupam Kher, his blind act evokes laughs in the beginning but his obsessive love for Sania is nauseating. An actor of his stature should desist from such imbecile roles. Suneil Shetty surprisingly impresses with his Marathi Inspector Na-Maane. It's good that he has accepted his fate as a character artiste. At least he doesn't have to carry the burden of taking a film on his own shoulders. Chunky Pandey as the Nepali lord Rana is a treat. This guy is finally finding the right roles for himself.

Pritam's music is club house mix. 'Paisa Paisa' and 'Dil Mein Baji Guitar' are worth ho-hum on the dance floor. But they seem more or less forced during the film. Finally, 'Apna Sapna Money Money' is a film that you can enjoy on a stag night out but if you take your wife or girlfriend along, then be prepared for the repercussions. The rickshawala, taxiwala crowd will be patronizing it anyway. Expect Money at the Box Office…Good News Mr Ghai.

Apna Sapna Money Money: Worth-A Penny!

Rating: **1/2

www.indiaglitz.com

Apna Sapna Money Money : Movie Review

11th Nov 2006 10.00 IST

By Nikhil Kumar

Here comes yet another slapstick comedy filled with madcap characters in search of hidden diamonds. Sangeeth Sivan's movie Apna Sapna Money Money is a corny, crowded entertainer that banks majorly on crass and crude humour.

Wit is not something you should expect from a movie like 'Money Money'. The comedy in the movie is juvenile and at times even childish. Yet there are some sequences that turn out to be immensely entertaining. These sequences mostly come from Ritesh Deshmukh , the young star with a very natural flair for comedy.

The movie has no concrete story to write home about. Even the plot keeps veering off the track due to the presence of too many characters in the story. In this muddle, good, laughable humour flashes through intermittently, but the movie gets heavy and begins to drag as it approaches the end.




The film is full of several wacky characters. There is an underworld don ( Jackie Shroff ) gone bankrupt. His moll Sania Badnaam ( Celina Jaitley ) has a bag of diamonds that could revive his fortunes again.

There is a rogue Kishan (Ritesh Deshmukh) with a natural gift to dupe people without slightest of compunction. There is a mechanic Arjun ( Shreyas Talpade ) head-over-heels in love with Shivani ( Riya Sen ), daughter of an overprotective father Pandit Shastri (Anupam Kher).

There is a chief (Chunky Pandey) of a Nepali gang baying for Kishan's blood. There is a tabela owner (Rajpal Yadav) who imitates Amitabh Bachchan from movie 'Sarkar'. There is an honest cop (Sunil Shetty) out to catch a bunch of criminals.

In this big crowd, the movie's story gets lost somewhere as Kishan is smitten with dancer Julie ( Koena Mitra ), and his cousin (Shreyas) falls for a stubborn pandit's daughter (Riya). Kishan helps his cousin in winning his ladylove and at the same time also puts his enemies off his trail by assuming different get-ups.

He slips into the guise of a woman to play his cousin's aunt Sania. Unfortunately, Pandit Shastri falls for him (disguised as her).

And the diamonds that everyone is after is closer to Kishan than he suspects. A series of slapstick situations crop up as one character after another joins the mad race to find the booty that is worth crores.

The prominent flaw of 'Money Money' is that its humour is very generic. The movie's script is like mishmash of old, outdated jokes given a new tenor by situational twists and turns. The movie's music (by Pritam) further adds to the woes of a viewer.

However, some actors stand above the film's ordinary script and make the movie watchable. Ritesh Deshmukh is a laugh riot in his various getups. His comic timing, his facial reactions, his expressions and the very tone of his dialogues evoke laughter.

Rajpal Yadav and Chunky Pandey also chip in moments of quality humour. Anupam Kher is very entertaining.

The actresses (Celina, Koena and Riya) basically add glamour and oomph to the proceedings.

Sunil Shetty is likeable. Jackie Shroff is over-the-top.

On the whole, 'Apna Sapna Money Money' is no great shakes. But in the confusing melee of its madcap characters, you do find some real good moments of hearty laughter.

In short, 'Money Money' is a good timepass entertainer if you don't value your time and money too much.

www.apunkachoice.com

Director: Sangeeth Sivan
Cast: Ritiesh Deshmukh, Shreyas Talpade, Anupam Kher, Celina Jaitly, Koena Mitra, Riya Sen, Jackie Shroff, Suniel Shetty

Yes, it's a formula. Think Masti, Kya Kool Hai Hum, Tom, Dick and Harry and the like. The catchy title, cleavage and legs, fancily picturised songs (preferably with rap element), puerile jokes that make you cringe, and dudez who create trouble, and then try to solve it. All these films have been packaged well. But it's always flat soda that they're offering in a wine bottle. Result? Very disappointing.

Here's the story, or lack of it. Kishan (Ritiesh Deshmukh) is a conman, who's adept at disguise. His friend, sweet, simple, mechanic Arjun Fernandez (Shreyas Talpade) is in love with neighborhood sweetheart Shivani (Riya Sen). But Shivani's father (Anupam Kher, funny at times) doesn't want her to get married to a mechanic. He's all set to welcome Shastriji, who is coming to fix up Shivani's marriage with his son. Arjun gives Kishan a distress call, and before you know it, he disguises himself as Shastriji.

In the train, he meets Sania Badnam, that's Celina Jaitly, lounging on the train berth in a super-revealing evening gown no less. Kishan, as he does throughout the film, tries to flirt (in a most objectionable, revolting manner, what are we, still living in the stone ages?). She works for a gangster Carlos (Jackie Shroff, strangely adorable) and is carrying 'pachas kadode ke heere' with her (Hindi's films' love affair with 'keemti heere' continues). But when she sees upright police office Namdev Mane (Suniel Shetty), she hides the diamonds in a pair of sandals in Shastriji's bag. From then on, the sandals travel feet to feet, and confusion ensues.

Meanwhile Kishan turns from false Shastriji to femme fatale Sania (yup, she's Sania too, fodder to add more confusion and gaffes), whom Shivani's father flips for. He finally agrees to marry Shivani with Arjun if Sania promises to be his wife. So you get the premise, Carlos is running after Sania, who is being chased by Inspector Mane, who's after Kishan, who flips for Julie (Koena Mitra). Meanwhile Arjun needs to conjure up money for a young child, undergoing an operation. There's a separate track with Chunky Pandey as a North Eastern don called Ranaji and a tabela owner (Rajpal Yadav) who's a wannabe don and dresses like Amitabh Bachchan in Sarkar.

How's this for innovation – Arjun's friends mainly comprise a sardar, Bobby Darling, and a harassed looking dog. Some of the scenes are particularly offensive, like Anupam Kher pressing the legs of Shivani's prospective father in law. This kind of regressiveness would put even the saas bahu serials to shame. The dialogues are mostly distasteful. Here's a gem — when Anupam Kher walks in and sees Shastriji (actually Kishan), kiss Julie, Arjun says, "Acha hua aap rape hone se pehle aa gaye."

The comedy has the done-to-death-and-beyond man disguising as a woman, and countless jokes about oranges (you know where). There are also lame takeoffs on several films like Sarkar and Mangal Pandey, and they're just not funny. The tone of the humour overall is disturbingly chauvinistic, and well, plain, boring. You've seen the same gags and the same jokes several times in comedies such as these.

Ritiesh in his first central role of sorts is earnest, but lacks enough screen presence, and is weakened by the contrived script. Shreyas is extremely likeable as Arjun. The rest of the cast is competent.

Rating: 3/10

businessofcinema

Review: Apna Sapna Money Money

Apna Sapna Money Money (comedy)
Cast: Riteish Deshmukh, Riya Sen, Shreyas Talpade, Anupam Kher, Koena Mitra
Direction : Sangeeth Sivan

Silly, yet funny in places, this one gently slips off the conveyor belt of kitschy comedies which have been rolling out of Bollywood recently. We won't label it a laugh riot, yet we'll confess it makes you giggle and chortle occasionally. Specially when Rajpal Yadav, as Chhote Sarkar, does a take on Amitabh Bachchan's tour de performance in Sarkar and Riteish Deshmukh displays his deadpan humour as the diva who is out to create some hungama in the Bandra wali bustee.

The plot? A visually challenged Anupam Kher wants to find the right match for his 'sanskar'-filled daughter (Riya Sen) so that he can have some fun in full moon nights. The daughter meanwhile has lost her heart to the local do-gooder (Shreyas) but the lovers can only be brought together by the pranks of the wily masquerader (Riteish) who is himself on the run from the Nepali underworld headed by Chunky Pandey. Add a love track between diamond chor Celina Jaitley and honest cop Suneil Shetty and you have adequate hungama to keep the meter rolling.

Of course, be forewarned. Some of the humour is crude and literally hits below the belt. But then, isn't that the trend now? Tch Tch!

timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Apna Sapna Money Money * *
Dir: Sangeeth Sivan
Cast: Riteish Deshmukh, Shreyas Talpade, Koena Mitra, Jackie Shroff

nach meri bulbul tujhe paisa milega: Ritiesh Deshmukh and Koena Mitra in Apna Sapna Money Money

Sarita Tanwar
sarita.tanwar@mid-day.com

What's it about: Enter the wild and titillating world of street comedy. If you thought Kya Kool Hain Hum was crude, director Sangeeth Sivan's new film, Apna Sapna Money Money, beats his own record in terms of vulgarity and double entendres. If insipid and mindless humour is what you relish, don't go looking for any story in this one.

Sivan extends his line-up of characters this time (probably because of the substantial budget allocated by producer Subhash Ghai) and fills the screen with his staple gibberish. When a busted underworld don Carlos's (Jackie Shroff) semi-clad moll Sania (Celina Jaitly) is caught by a wary inspector Mane (Sunil Shetty), she hides her booty of diamonds in petty conman Krishna's (Riteish Deshmukh) bag. Krishna is on his way to meet his mechanic cousin (Shreyas Talpade), who is in love with a crazy pop's (Anupam Kher) daughter (Riya Sen). But things change for Krishna when he encounters his cousin's friend (Koena Mitra) and falls for her. Just as things are looking bright, old enemies catch up and Krishna is forced to disguise himself as a woman. Complications galore occur when crazy pop goes crazier over this man-in-drag. Meanwhile, Sania joins hands with the cop and lands up at the house to look for the diamonds. By now, three different sets of people know about Sania's whereabouts and everyone wants their hands on the precious stones.

What's hot: What does a filmmaker do when his formula works once? He repeats it. Spurred on by the success of Kya Kool Hai Hum (KKHH), director Sangeeth Sivan has made yet another not-everyone's-cup-of-tea comic caper.

Script be damned, it's all about a rollicking screenplay interspersed with some of the most offensive dialogues heard in a long time. Riteish Deshmukh is the best thing about the film and the director exploits his inimitable flair for comedy to the fullest.

Whether he is playing Krishna, the old man or even the coy girl, he proves that he's capable of shouldering a film on his own. Shreyas Talpade, in a totally masala role, displays his versatility as a performer. Sunil Shetty is totally uninhibited and enjoys every 'little' bit of his screen time. The girls have very little to offer, but Riya Sen does justice to her shy, demure girl-next-door character and Koena Mitra flashes some skin and some energy as the wannabe item girl.

Rajpal Yadav, for once, is funny as Chhote Sarkar as he does a spoof on the Big B's Sarkar. The music by Pritam is a clear winner and goes with the tempo of the film.

What's not: Kya Kool Hai Hum was crass comedy at its best, and Apna Sapna Money Money follows the same formula. It's funny in parts but certainly not a wholesome family entertainer. It's very clearly targetted at the front benchers. Why else would you have Anupam Kher constantly reaching out for Riteish's 'breasts'? Add to this the suggestive jokes about "santraas" and Chunky Pandey pointing to his crotch.

What's that: The scene where Anupam is trying to slip on sandals on Riteish's feet while Rajpal Yadav and his cronies listen to their conversation gets on your nerves with its crudity. You also have other gems like Celina telling Sunil, "Saamaan khula pada hai, tickle mat karna" when he attempts to do a body search on her.

What to do: If you enjoyed KKHH, this might be the movie for you. But if it's a family fun film you're longing for, go watch Golmaal once again.

mid-day.com

Mayank Shekhar

Apna Sapna Money Money
DIRECTOR: Sangeeth Sivan
ACTORS:Ritesh Deshmukh, Shreyas Talpade
Mirror Rating : *, 1/2

I still find it to forget the unbelievable tribal event I found myself in the middle of about two years ago. Determined to watch a film even when no tickets were available on a weekend night at the local multiplex, I had walked in with my friend to the first row of a run-down shanty theatre in Chembur. The film was Sivan's first, a sex-pot farce called Kya Kool Hai Hum. There was little to tell from what was going on; the screen was neck-creakingly close to the eye. I just found myself staring all over at a packed crowd of guffawing uncles, and young boys falling off their metallic seats.

A still from Apna Sapna...

The film turned out to be a supposed 'hit', though it seemed none of the paying audience had come to catch a film. They were there merely to anticipate the corny characters pushing the censor's envelope, and delivering a double entendre joke that always existed for its own worth. Each time a crass line over the female or male anatomy, love-making or undergarments would blare out from the crackling speakers, everyone would just laugh; more at the audacity of the words, I thought, than at the fairly stale jokes.

Sivan's second film promises or delivers no less, or more. It's a senseless, disjointed set of double-meaning, Dada Khonke gags that exist under the minor excuse of a skin-flick. The phallic symbols fly all over the plot; and most moments and characters appear constructed to visually or verbally tease the front-benches. It matters little why everyone's chasing a Rs.-50-crore booty here, so long as everyone's chasing something or someone: The leading men (Talpade, Deshmukh) are chasing the leading ladies (legs and cleavage), the dad (Anupam Kher) is chasing a cross-dressed leading man (Deshmukh, astoundingly spontaneous), the cops are chasing the diamonds, the dons are chasing….

Such films are manufactured in Mumbai at least 30 times in a year. For all we know they serve a weirdly cathartic purpose in a sexually repressed country, where matters of sex are pushed under the dirty carpet and segregation between genders is celebrated as a moral virtue. Needless to add, the inexplicable purpose such flicks reveal or serve is entirely unrelated to cinema.

mumbaimirror.indiatimes.com

ASMM - The biggest spoof flick ever in Bollywood? Click here to add this article to My Clips
By Joginder Tuteja, November 13, 2006 - 12:43 IST
Think about the movie series coming from 'Austin Powers', 'Hot Shots', 'Mr. Bean' & 'Scary Movie' and there is one common thread running amongst each of these - they are all Hollywood spoofs. This means that there are numerous moments from some popular Hollywood films that have been incorporated in a funny way in the films as mentioned above.

In comparison Bollywood films too come with their dose of such spoofs, though they are far and few. But one watch of this week's 'Apna Sapna Money Money' and you end up wondering if it is the BIGGEST EVER mainstream Bollywood film spoof that you may have ever seen? Though the storyline per se is not spoofy by any means, there are at least a dozen odd references to different Bollywood/Hollywood films and some real life references in this two and a half hour flick.

HERO

The stage is set at the very onset of the film when bankrupt underworld don Carlos [Jackie Shroff], in an attempt to regain his lost glory, arranges for the smuggling of '50 crore ke heere'. The code word for that operation - 'Ding Dong O Baby Sing A Song'. A spoof indeed since that's the title song of Jackie Shroff's first superhit film - HERO. Another common factor is that both HERO and ASMM are Subhash Ghai productions.

KISNA

Riteish Deshmukh is called Kishan in the film. Fair enough. But what takes the cake is his introduction scene when the Nepali gang of Ranaji [Chunkey Pandey] is searching for him. The song that runs in the background? Sukhwinder Singh's 'Wo Kisna Hai' from the film 'Kisna'. Unfortunately the song never got its due when released but now has been revived to appear as a background piece for more than a couple of occasions whenever Riteish is on frame. Just like HERO, KISNA too was a Subhash Ghai film.

SARKAR

By now everyone is aware that Rajpal Yadav, a 'tabela' owner, does an impersonation a la Amitabh Bachchan in 'Sarkar'. With a false beard and wig to boost, he dons the same 'chola' as the Big B and adapts the same mannerisms as him. Not just this, he also rents the DVD player and a 'Sarkar' DVD number of times to get 'inspired' from his idol and watches the same film multiple times. A true blue spoof indeed with the spice added on by the background theme of 'Tabela Tabela', an obvious reference to 'Govinda Govinda' in Ram Gopal Verma's 'Godfather' adaptation.

MEET THE FOCKERS

All those who have seen Robert De Niro-Ben Stiller starrer 'Meet The Fockers' would never forget the 'Circle Of Trust' theory. In this hilarious flick, middle aged Robert De Niro takes his own time to make someone as a part of his 'circle of trust' and once you are in, it would be highly disappointing to break it away. The same theory is adopted by Don Carlos [Jackie Shroff] as he includes handpicked men and women [though all of them turning out to be utterly useless!] into his gang and presents them a designer ring as a token for an entry in his circle of trust!

DILWALE DULHANIYA LE JAYENGE

Who can ever forget the theme music of eternal hit 'Tujhe Dekha To Ye Jaana Sanam' from 10-years-and-still-running-strong-DDLJ? Even Anupam Kher doesn't forget this over the years as he 'falls in love' with Riteish Deshmukh a.k.a. Sania! The theme tune plays in the background and the half-blind Kher is all mooney eyed just with the very thought of having found his soul mate. Jai jai Chopras.....yet again!

CHANDNI

It's time to pay homage to the Chopras again, this time through Ria Sen. When asked to sing a song before her perspective father-in-law Sarju Maharaj Banaras Waale [Riteish Deshmukh in an impersonation avtar again], she makes full use of the situation and impromptu gets into the number 'Main Sasural Nahin Jaayungi' from the film 'Chandni'. In order to shoo away all the 'rishtas' coming her way, she even does a cute rap version of the song to make for a funny sight indeed!

SUBHASH GHAI

There is an ego boosting of sorts when a mention of Subhash Ghai comes towards the middle of the film. Elated at an offer from Carlos to join the gang, Rajpal Yadav cannot help but jump with joy. On asked by 'Laughter Challenge' winner Sunil Pal to explain the reason for the same, he says that every gangster waits for that one big chance to work with Carlos just like film stars look forward to being a part of a Subhash Ghai film at least once in their career! Hmmm...interesting!

SANIA MIRZA

While Celina Jaitley is called 'Sania Badnaam' by all her friends and enemies, guess how does Riteish Deshmukh's character in a drag gets this name? Simple! On being asked for his name, he simply looks around for solutions and on spotting a Sania Mirza poster pasted on a wall, he mouths 'SANIA'. That's about it! And from here life was never going to be same again for all the characters in the film as they try to get out of this double trouble of two Sanias!

ARADHANA

This spoof forms one of the most entertaining moments of the film. In addition to the 'guitars' and the 'sitars' that play in Anupam Kher's heart and soul whenever he meets his lady love, he also mouths the theme music from Rajesh Khanns'a superhit number from 'Aradhana' - 'Kora Kaagaz Tha Ye Mann Mera'. And he does not do it just once but a multiple number of times with body language and mannerisms to match - truly a feat which only Anupam Kher can achieve!

MANGAL PANDEY

In the climax, the pundit who is roped in do facilitate the 'saat pheras' of Kher-Riteish and Shreyas-Ria is quite a ferocious one. And why not? After all he comes with a strong Aamir Khan hangover as in 'Mangal Pandey', what with a 'dhoti', hairdo and that deadly moustache to match. This is not all! When the fight breaks out with the entire world going mad, he is the first one to proclaim - HALLA BOL!

DILIP KUMAR

A poignant moment comes in Anupam Kher's life [yes, even this is presented in a hilarious manner!] when he finds out that the 'she' in his life is actually a 'he' i.e. his Sania is actually Kishan. And what better away to express his anguish than to get into the body of Dilip Kumar. He applies the same mannerisms and mouths the dialogues in the thespian's inimitable style, even when the world around him is mocking at the sad turn of events in his life!

ASH & VIVEK LOVE STORY

Though this sequence comes quite earlier in the film, we choose to reserve the best till the end! When Celina Jaitley in her semi clad avtar is traveling in the compartment of a train, she is lying down while reading FILMFARE that has Aishwarya Rai on its cover. Not to loose a moment, Riteish who incidentally enters the same compartment is quick to comment - "Kya Ash Bade Vivek Se Baithi Ho?"

This makes it at least 12 references and we are sure that there may have been more than just these. Write in if you have some more to share.......

MOVIE REVIEW : 'Apna Sapna...' a slapstick drag
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Monday, November 13, 2006

Film: 'Apna Sapna Money Money';
Cast: Riteish Deshmukh, Celina Jaitley, Koena Mitra, Shreyas Talpade, Riya Sen, Anupam Kher, Rajpal Yadav; Director: Sangeeth Sivan;
Rating: *

Looking at the bright side, this comedy is decidedly less vulgar and suggestive than director Sangeeth Sivan's earlier 'Kya Kool Hain Hum'. That, if one may say so, was the pits. Mercifully, there are no cat-humping jokes to boost the chuckle quotient in 'Apna Sapna Money Money'.

What the plot lacks in innovativeness, it makes up with a certain breathless momentum and crass candour that's meant to drive audiences into over-the-top gear. And never mind the finer sensitivities. At least the cats are left alone this time.

The story about a run for precious diamonds gives Riteish Deshmukh - a fine, if somewhat dull, actor - a chance to try out numerous get-ups, including a drag act that is dead on.

Riteish sinks his teeth into the job at hand with more than passing interest. Alas, the material provided to sustain his skills at role changing is so slim, you wonder which came first, the farce or the flair that he dares to air.

Anupam Kher and Rajpal Yadav provide a comic consistency to the proceedings that tend to get cock-eyed. Rajpal's take-off on Amitabh Bachchan from 'Sarkar' would've been funny if it wasn't so put on.

To their credit, all the actors - male and female - have themselves a whale of a time. So much so that after a while you begin to feel guilty for casting a cynical eye on what's finally meant to be nothing but an innocuous farce fest. To that extent, '...Money Money' gives you your money's worth.

Especially rib tickling are the scenes where Riteish (constantly poker-faced and solemn in his satirical stabs) is wooed by Anupam. The twosome isn't quite Kamal Haasan-Amrish Puri in 'Chachi 420', but does anyone really expect this farce to live up to any standards other than those set by 'Masti', 'Malaamal Weekly' and 'Phir Hera Pheri'?

Just one word of advice for those who expect some laughs - your belly won't ache. Though going by the level of noise pollution, your ears sure will.

As for the stretched-out comic season that started with Indra Kumar's 'Masti' two years ago.... its enough already!

- By Subhash K. Jha

rating-*

www.indiaenews.com

Not So Kool

After making the horribly vulgar Kya Kool Hain Hum, somehow work at the box-office, Sangeet Sivan has found his formulahe stands in queue behind David Dhawan, Priyadarshan and Neeraj Vora in the crude comedy genre.
His Apna Sapna Money Money, juvenile to the extreme, appeals to the tapori audience and maybe students looking for some laughs; the kind of audience that expects nothing more from a film than timepass. This simple requirement is fulfilled by Apna Sapna with its large cast of goofy characters.
Two subplots come together in a Bandra basti one involving a cache of diamonds transported by a moll Sania (Celina Jaitley) for an impoverished don (Jackie Shroff), which get lost in transit. The other involves a love story between garage mechanic Arjun (Shreyas Talpade) and the docile Shivani (Riya Sen), with her father Shastri (Anupam Kher) as the spoke in the wheel. To help the love birds, Arjuns conman cousin Krishna (Ritesh Deshmukh) arrives from Goa, with an army of angry Nepalis (led by Chunky Pandey) at his heel.
Krishna first disguises himself as a pandit from Benares, while the real one is captured by the Nepalis. Later he disguises himself as a woman, and leads the half-blind Shastri almost to the marriage mandap. Other loony characters include an inept cop (Suniel Shetty), an aspiring don (Rajpal Yadav) and a dancer (Koena Mitra) who doubles up as Krishnas love interest.
The plot is not meant to make sense; all that is needed for such a film to hit its target is a nonstop supply of gags, which this one does at a breathless pace. That a lot of them are in bad taste goes without sayingof the crotch grabbing, bra-waving, bull-crapping (literally!) variety. Still, anyone who goes to see a Sangeet Sivan film should know what to expect and cant complain afterwards.
Ritesh Deshmukh runs riot here, leaving behind all the other actors (some of them with not much to do). Jackie Shroff and Shreyas Talpade are wasted, but Chunky Pandey is hilarious as the leader of the Kukri gang. The girls are there for the sex appeal. Snatches from old gender-bender comedies turn up here, then again creativity or originality is not this films strong point. The climax has a kid with a hole in her heart waiting for an operationcan it get more clichd than this?

Apna Sapna Money Money
At: Gaiety and other cinemas
Directed by Sangeet Sivan
Cast: Ritesh Deshmukh, Shreyas Talpade, Anupam Kher, Suniel Shetty and others

www.cybernoon.com

Apna Sapna Money Money
'Mad Mad World!'
By Prema K. 2006 Bollyvista.com

Apna Sapna Money Money

Producer/s: Raju Farooqui
Director: Sangeeth Sivan
Cast: Ritesh Deshmukh, Jackie Shroff, Suniel Shetty, Shreyas Talpade, Anupam Kher, Koena Mitra, Celina Jaitley, Riya Sen, Rajpal Yadav, Gulshan Grover, Brijesh Hirji, Chunkey Pandey
Music: Pritam
Lyrics: Shabbir Ahmed


This is unintelligent cinema at its best. So just go and be part of this mad crowd. It's full of humour, although crass at times, generous doses of skin show, some catchy songs, and oodles of fun. It's a typical mass appeal entertainer which is sure to fetch returns for the producer.

The maddening crowd in the film is an assorted lot. Shreyas Talpade, a goody goody car mechanic, his conman cousin (Riteish Deshmukh), a bar dancer who aims to cut a music video album some day (Koena Mitra), a cop (Suniel Shetty), a homely girl (Riya Sen) and her father (Anupam Kher), a wannabe don (Rajpal Yadav), a gangster (Chunkey Pandey), a don (Jackie Shroff) and his moll (Celina Jaitley). There's a dog too besides a few other characters. Doesn't it sound like too many characters in one film. That's one of the flawed areas of the film. There's no scope to develop the characters and their tracks well.

There's no real story in the film except as the title of the film suggests, there's a quest for diamonds worth 50 crores. The Shreyas-Riya Sen love story thrown into this comic caper lacks luster. But it is the reason for a lot of confusion in the film courtesy Riteish Deshmukh. The chemistry between Riteish and Shreyas is good and could have been exploited well.

The performances. Two actors who really stand out in this film are Riteish Deshmukh and Anupam Kher. Ritesh puts on various getups and looks convincing in all of them, especially as Sania, Shreyas' aunt who flirts with Anupam Kher. Both of them are in great form. Ritesh and Anupam's scenes are hilarious.

Rajpal Yadav is superb, as usual. Suniel Shetty is soon finding his groove as a comic actor. He's excellent when he breaks into Marathi and also in his scenes with Avatar Gill.

Of the girls, Celina Jaitley's resorts to what she's best at; glamour. She turns on the glamour quotient full on. But one also admires her confidence as an actor. Koena Mitra is decent. Riya Sen looks subdued in an Indian avatar. Jackie Shroff is okay. Shreyas Talpade's role doesn't give him much scope for performance but he does justice to his character. Chunkey Pandey is adequate. Vrajesh Hirjee, and Bobby Darling lend him able support.

Pritam's music sounds crazy to the ear but doesn't have the same effect on screen.

Like we said before, this is a film aimed at the front benchers. It might also appeal to the crazy young crowd and may even prove to be a hit with the family audience in some places.

www.bollyvista.com