Banner: Sony Pictures Networks Productions, Sunny Sounds Pvt Ltd & Affluence Movie Pvt Ltd
Producer: Sunny Sounds Pvt Ltd, Shreyas Talpade & Deepti Talpade
Director: Shreyas Talpade
Star Cast: Sunny Deol, Bobby Deol, Shreyas Talpade, Ajay Devgn, Arshad Warsi, Tusshar Kapoor, Kunal Khemu, Parineeti chopra, Rohit Shetty, Sonali Kulkarni, Tripti Dimri, Randheer Rai, Raashul Tandon, Dilip Prabhavalkar, Elli Avram, Samiksha Bhatnagar, Bharati Achrekar, Sachin Khedekar, Murali Sharma, Ashwini Kalsekar, Jitendra Joshi, Ravi Jhankal et al
Music: Tanishk Bagchi
Actor turned debut director Shreyas Talpade makes quite an impact in his debut directorial offering Poster Boys which also happens to be inspired by a Marathi film of the same name. That apart Shreyas Talpade also happens to be inspired by films of the recent past based on equally novel themes like Vicky Donor (2012) which had proved that one can make great films on taboo or uncomfortable subjects if treated well and inspired by Vicky Donor’s success, other films were Piku (dealt with constipation) and the recently released films like Toilet – Ek Prem Katha (open defecation) & Shubh Mangal Saavdhaan (erectile dysfunction) which also tackled similar topics and succeeded big time. And now Shreyas Talpade’s film Poster Boys is another such film as it deals with vasectomy.
The scripted scenario of Poster Boys reveals that it is the story of 3 men whose lives turn upside down for no fault of theirs. Vinay Sharma (Bobby Deol) is a docile school teacher, Arjun Singh (Shreyas Talpade) is an over enthusiastic school teacher while Jagaavar Chaudhary (Sunny Deol) is the explosive but also well -mannered retired army officer. They reside in a village called Jangheti and 1 day, they find their pictures on a poster promoting vasectomy. They are immediately ridiculed and the trio tries their level best to convince their near & dear ones that they haven’t undergone the procedure and that their pictures have been wrongly used. They then decide to take on the system to avenge the humiliation that they have suffered. What happens next and whether they get justice forms the rest of the film.
Poster Boys doesn’t start on a great note. The beginning portions are stretched, with the family members & acquaintances ridiculing the trio but not telling them the reason for the same. Also the TV style flashback portions look poor. The film picks up when the trio meet each other at the bridge. From here, the film turns into a fairly entertaining ride right till the end with no dull moment anywhere. A Few scenes stand out like Jagaavar stopping Arjun & Vinay from fighting, the trio going to local health office, the interval point, Jagaavar getting a call from Riya (Tripti Dimri) at midnight, Jagaavar & Vinay fooling the doctor (Ashwini Kalsekar) et al.
The climax is quite exciting and it’s praiseworthy how the makers have managed to seamlessly add a social message into the narrative.
Shreyas Talpade’s direction is quite good and he makes a great directorial debut. He ensures the subject isn’t dumbed down and that audiences aren’t taken for granted. Also, the way he & his team has made references to the Deol brothers’ earlier films like Damini, Soldier et al is quite smartly done. Shreyas Talpade’s story is novel and makes for an entertaining film. Bunty Rathore & Paritosh Painter’s screenplay is effective overall, despite an average beginning. The fun element never stops and that is quite a feat. Bunty Rathore & Paritosh Painter’s dialogues are hilarious & witty and one of the highpoints of the film.
When it comes to music, “Kudiya Shehar Diyan” is the most memorable track. “Kendhi Menoo” is played during end credits. “Noor – E – Khuda’ is forgettable & “The Poster Boys Anthem” is foot tapping. Amar Mohile’s background music has a massy touch. Nigam Bomzan’s cinematography is satisfactory. Devendra Murdeshwar’s editing is simple but could have been crisper in the beginning portions. Somenath Parke’s production design is poor and doesn’t look appealing. Vikram Dahiya’s action is massy.
Poster Boys rests on the performances of its 3 main actors. Sunny Deol is in top form & rocks with his action & comic timing. Even at this age, he manages to look so fit & energetic and that’s really praiseworthy. Shreyas Talpade is the surprise of the film. His character is quite interesting and he manages to entertain thoroughly. Bobby Deol falters initially but once he warms up to his character, there’s no stopping him. What also works in his favor is that he gets to play a quirky character. A great comeback, in short!!! Sonali Kulkarni is okay and doesn’t get much scope. Samiksha Bhatnagar (Surajmukhi) is loud, as per her character’s requirement and adds to the fun. Tripti Dimri is decent while Ashwini Kalsekar is hilarious. Ravi Jhankal (Riya’s father), Murli Sharma (health minister) & Sachin Khedekar (chief minister) are good in their small roles. Elli Avram is sizzling in her item song.
Tail Piece: Poster Boys manages to tickle your funny bone and also neatly embeds a social message. Sadly the lack of promotions & limited shows with odd timings end up playing spoilsport. However the positive word of mouth may translate into decent footfalls over the weekend as well as the weekdays.
