Kai Po Che Review

Director Abhishek Kapoor returns to male bonding. This time he moves to Gujarat and cans the tale of three young guys. An interesting premise, it deals how occasionally life is influenced by the mistakes of the times we live in. Inspired by Chetan Bhagat’s work it revolves around three guys, their aspirations. Typically middle class, wanting to stretch to the next level, searching for a place in the skies. Dreams know no class. Even the Arithmetician’s mathematics can go awry. In the midst of warmth and camaraderie, three unemployed youth Ishant, Omi and Govind share dreams. Living with dissatisfied parents, or even pushy uncles, the three tread a road less journeyed. With entrepreneual dreams and a work culture based on unaccountable independence they are set to establish a sport store and even a training program for budding cricketers.
Ishaan (Sushant Singh Rajput) has a passion for cricket. He identifies amazing talent in young Ali.
Govind (Raj Kumar Yadav) is the sober element in the group. He makes a living giving tuitions. Comparatively more academic and less adventurous he adds balance and caution to the group.
Omi (Amit Sadh) has an uncle (read Godfather) who is willing to finance the dream of the threesome unconditionally or so it seems. He of course has a hidden agenda. Mammaji (Manav Kaul) has a political agenda. Knows all too well that he needs support and assistance at the forthcoming elections.
Vidya (Amrita Puri) is Ishaan’s sister who hates Maths but loves the teacher and is often emboldened to speak her mind and heart to the hesitant teacher.
Ali is talent. He is gifted – like the Little Master(s) from Mumbai. He can get sixes at will on the ‘on-side’ though.
Ishaan realises that Ali is their ticket to fame. Govind knows that the Sports Store is the root for their survival. Omi gets the money from his uncle and a quid-pro-quo gives his time and energy.
And then first a natural calamity followed by men engineered designed calamity alters everything. Everything including the bonding stands exposed and beaten. This part of the film is handled with maturity.
Talking about male bondage – we’ve had three trend setting near iconic movies: Dil Chahta Hai, Rock On and Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara. Considering Abhishek Kapoor himself made one of them, this is a revisit of sorts. Compare is inevitable. The cast this time surely suffers the lack of stardust. But this could well be the hidden advantage. The unknown package comes without baggage. It is a risk to stand compare with actors of the calibre that made the earlier mentioned films. This young group makes up with top level sincerity and great energy levels. The threesome fit well in their contrasting characters and shares a great screen Chemistry. Caught in the vortex of the post Godhara Gujarat, emotions get raw and sanity is a casualty. In the midst of this all, Govind and Vidya have a love story at adds to the problem. Ali is the promising cricketer for whom Ishaan is willing to give it all. Omi is on the other side of the divide. The attack on the religious divide takes an ugly turn. For all the camaraderie, the ambitions and the shared dreams relationships stand stranded and torn. Kai Po Che. Like the kite lost in flight, unlike the Seagull in flight, tottering and torn, pleading for askance, the emotional story is told with a crisp style. The film lasts a 120 minutes and thanks for that.
Watch the movie. It is a nice take. May not be brilliant, but a positive film.

L. Ravichander.