Producer: Anubhav Sinha
Director: Pankaj Advani
Writers : Pankaj Advani, Anubhav Sinha
Star cast: Kay Kay Menon, Rimi Sen, Anupam Kher, Chunky Pandey, Yashpal Sharma and Dilip Prabhawalkar.
Sometimes the films which aren't expected to lure the audience manage to pull in the maximum crowd. One such underdog film is Sankat City. Though the film may not boast of big star cast or a larger than life story line, a hit musical score or sexy item numbers, it succeeds, and succeeds largely, in its endeavour: Make the viewer laugh at the right places.
Falling in the genre of crime-comedy capers like the film 99, Sankat City is a dark comedy with all grey characters in the city of Mumbai. Not really a roller-coaster ride, this one is more of a merry-go-round drive with several characters circularly connected to each other through multiple money rotations.
Guru (Kay Kay Menon), a small-time car thief and Ganpat (Dilip Prabhawalkar), who owns a dilapidated garage, are partners-in-crime. Guru robs cars and Ganpat provides them a make-over in order to vend them for orderly incomes. One day, Guru manages to get his hands on a Mercedes, unattended and parked outside a brothel and takes it to Ganpat's garage only to find a packet of Rs. 1 crore lying inside. Little do they know what lays in store - for the car and the money belongs to a vicious gangster/loan shark called Faujdaar (Anupam Kher)!
Before he could return the money to Faujdar, Ganpat loses his memory. Only he knows where the currency is concealed.
With only 3 days left to return the money, Guru stumbles upon Mona (Rimi), his ex-partner in crime. Together they plan a new con, win a couple of crores and continue to lose, gain, and gamble the moolah through frequent twists and turns in the plot.
There are too many characters, too many plots, too many sub-plots, too many twists which fortunately sums up for too much fun. The writing by Pankaj Advani is wacky, witty, weird and wild. Debutante director Pankaj Advani emerges as a good storyteller and manages to bind you with his multiple character-driven plot and multi-dimensional narrative.
Pankaj manages to pull out fantastic performances from Kay Kay Menon and Rimi Sen. Anupam Kher's comic histrionics are simply outstanding so is the acting of Chunky Pandey who brilliantly plays a double role in the film.
Over-all Sankat City is far away from mindless comedies courtesy its crazy-yet-credible storyline. The film is completely hilarious making it a must watch. It is a total time-pass for those looking out for some unadulterated entertainment.
|
