When was it that we last got a satire on corruption, the rot in the system and the haplessness of the common man? We cannot recall, right? So here was a great chance: A common man, bank cashier Bharat (Akshaye Khanna) — note the symbolism of his name — is harassed by the system, simply because his patriotic father Shivnarayan (Satish Kaushik) refuses to give a part of their huge ancestral premises to use as an election office to MLA candidate Manku Tripathi (Murli Sharma). Instead, the idealistic old man prefers to give it to the rival candidate, an honest NRI tycoon.
When Manku wins, he extracts unique revenge. A fan is stolen from Bharat’s house and he ends up spending an obscene amount in bribes and red-tape in police, courts etc. He does not even have the option of not bothering to retrieve it — it is an old, unused fan — as the thief has been caught “red-handed” and a confession has been extracted.
By the time the con is discovered, more trouble is in store for Bharat and his family, both from Manku as well as Bharat’s schoolteacher wife Nisha (Shriya Saran, expressionless) because she suspects that hottie paying-guest Amita (Mugdha Godse) is having an affair with hubby. Finally, Bharat is arrested with evidence that he is a terrorist!
A side-issue is that father wants Bharat to graduate from the role of Hanuman to that of Ram in the annual Ram Leela, but that role is earmarked for Manku’s non-actor brother, Sattu (Amit Mistry).
The side issues confuse and dilute the impact of what could have been a biting satire. The script (Mumukshu Duggal with director Jafry) is often fresh and the lines realistic and often sarcastic (like the hero’s father’s masterful pun on Bharat); and some sequences (like the corrupt cop’s post-midnight visit to Bharat’s house or the chain of events about how Bharat’s scooter is stolen and recovered) stand out.
But the script loses it big-time when Bharat’s family has to kowtow to the system to get him acquitted of serious subversion charges. A token and symbolic slap by Bharat to his antagonists and a candle-light protest rob the film of whatever power it had. The audience needed gratification, but Jafry does not give it to them.
The lyrics of the title-track “Gali Gali Chor Mein” are incisive, but that is the only plus point in Anu Malik’s soundtrack. Distractions like the comic track on the bomb or Veena Malik’s completely crass item number only worsen things. Khanna, Kaushik and Annu Kapoor (as the corrupt cop) shine — but cannot salvage a self-defeating script.
One-Up Entertainment’s Gali Gali Chor Hai
Produced by: NITIN MANMOHAN
Directed by: RUMI JAFRY
Music: ANU MALIK
Starring: AKSHAYE KHANNA, SHRIYA SARAN, MUGDHA GODSE, SATISH KAUSHIK, MURLI SHARMA, ANNU KAPOOR, AKHILENDRA MISHRA & others
Rating: **1/2 (Just About)