Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ

Over seven years in the making, it's not a mystery how, but why, Nehlla Pe Dehlla ever made the light of day. Ajay Chandok's much delayed comedy caper about a pair of small-time crooks with big plans is about as entertaining and grown up as a two hour episode of the Chuckle Brothers. A stain on the otherwise unblemished careers of two of Bollywood's strongest acting talents, it's a crime that Sanjay Dutt and Saif Ali Khan ever agreed to star in this juvenile disaster.

It's not just the costumes and hairstyles that look dated. The jokes are as old as the hills when it comes to Johnny (Dutt) and Jimmy's (Khan) double act. When the pair of petty thieves come to learn of a hotel manager (Shakti Kapoor), who is embezzling millions from his company, they join the five star establishment as waiters. But their blackmail plans are dealt a blow when the target is knocked off by some mobsters who are also looking for his hidden booty. Not to be deterred, the boys score top points for bad taste when they take control of his dead body and attempt to pass him off as alive to get the jackpot.

"A FARCE FROM BEGINNING TO END"

Just how the duo cart around a corpse for most of the film without being rumbled beggars belief. Defying all logic, the stiff dances to music, drives a car and even does his personal banking, before being thrown from the hotel into the sea and returning to the shore. The fact he doesn't suffer a scratch says as much about the quality of the script as it does for Chandok's consideration for continuity. A farce from beginning to end.