David Review

Well intended; surely. The virtue stops there. The translation of intent falls sharply. Pepped up by some vision and effort could have done better, far better. The idea of dealing with three independent stories, running their independent course or even being delicately or tangentially interwoven or connected is not news. Directors normally tell a tale at a stretch and then tie up the loose strands, some times the independent stories run their course and have a common feature for being placed together. Nambiar decides to tale the tale practically through chronologically dates them in three different decades three different times: England (1975), Mumbai (1999) and Goa (2010). Thematically the tales are different: story of love and hate with a Godfather like backdrop; a family caught up in politics of religion and hate; a love story going wrong. The treatment too is styled differently: one tight brisk and elitist; one warm and largely radiating with care and concern; and one boisterous, tongue in cheek and a bit rustic. Why then are the three told together? Oh! Because the central character in each tale across time is David!!
David I: Neil Nitin Mukesh – he is caught in an international cross current of terror and international spies and espionage. Thankfully he, not terror is the story. He is Man Friday to a target Ghani with a past and an active present in England. With hawk eyes and feline agility he saves his master. He is also in a hot-hot, grab-smooch-bed relationship with Noor (Monica Dogra) who is a part of the domestic staff hanging around in the Ghani household. After one attack on Ghani things come crashing, booth with the march of events in the script and the manner of its handling. This part of David is held together by the sheer grit and persona of the protagonist. Kudos to Neil Nitin. A great screen presence, under stated with élan, it is a performance that should get more Directors to his door step.
David II: Vinay Virmani – The story begins on the streets of Mumbai in Circa 1999 with the head of a Christain family Father Noel (Nasser) addressing a motley group for contributions to rehabilitate a colony which has been a victim to a fire accident. David is the guitar strutting boy in the family who dreams of being a great musician some time and pushing up the economic level of the family. The story takes a peculiar turn when opportunity knocks for a foreign trip but coincides with an attack on his father by local politician (brilliantly essayed by Rohini Hatangadi) on charges of religious conversions. He stakes his future in the bitter battle and loses his dreams at the threshold of the reality of Indian politics and road side goons. Vinay Virmani in this tier is vibrant and shows great promise. Hopefully he will not get buried in the run of the mill sidey roles. This part of the film is constantly tottering and shows just not enough consistency.
David III: Vikram – An incurable alcoholic in Goa. His Mom is trying hard to find a suitable marriage partner for him. He is in conversation with the ghost of his father (Saurabh Shukla). His friend Peter (Nishan Nanaiah) is engaged to marry Roma (Isha Sharvani) who is hearing and speaking impaired. David falls head over heels for her and justifies his affection for her on the ground that his friend is only marrying her for a petrol bunk. He is advised by a friend (Tabu who for some strange reason chooses non descript roles when she can take and deliver the very best). Vikram shines in a part where the cinematography is amazing and worth watching.
The one big disappointment with the film is the parallel run of the three stories. They simply do not jell in to a linear story line. They seem like interruptions and give the film a jerky finish.
Bejoy Nambiar shows promise. Just that. You walk out of the theatre despite all the advantages that the movie carries that it has not delivered, which surely reflects on the film maker. Strangely that is the films undoing. Diverse Davids lacking depth.

L. Ravichander.