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They're characters from opposite sides of the track
whose destinies intersect the moment Mittal (John Abraham) - the
hedonistic son of a multi-millionaire hops into a taxi driven by Shastri
(Nana Patekar) - a chap whose social interactions habitually degenerate into
a series of well aimed slaps. These two objectionable fellows literally drive
each other to the point of no return and elicit very little sympathy from the
viewer in the process. That’s what director Milan Luthria’s Taxi No 9211
is all about. It's a credit to the filmmakers that in its resolution, the film
succeeds in turning antipathy into concern without being overly preachy. It's
also a credit to Patekar who imbues the crusty, unlovable Shastri with enough
depth to sustain a credible redemption.
Although the cinematography is slick and gives Mumbai a palpable energy, the
story takes too long to kick in. A very long voiceover at the beginning, along
with a flashback and club scene, drags it down. A lot of the explanation seems
superfluous, especially as the narrator (Sanjay Dutt) is not a character
involved in the drama but an extraneous voice - one we don't hear from in the
end. The club number, which is intended to pump up the energy, has the reverse
effect; it detracts from the delivery of important information and trivializes
Mittal's character. Shorter Bollywood movies - those that run for two hours or
less, do not have the luxury of time to indulge in songs if these do not shed
considerable light on the characters. All the club song communicates in this
case, is that Mittal likes to party and is popular with women. This isn't enough
information to justify the inclusion of a full dance number even though it is
hugely entertaining. Abraham's character is sadly underwritten which presents
problems later on. This is not a criticism of the actor who does well with what
he's been given.
 On a positive
note, the scenes between Shastri and his long suffering wife Sunita (Sonali
Kulkarni) are well executed and seem very real. The scene in bed, where his
ardor is quickly quelled by her insistence on their financial problems, is a
gem. In fact, the appearances of Sunita and the child are highpoints in the
film. They are Shastri's saving grace and it's only in relation to them that we
build a modicum of sympathy for the guy.
Because Mittal's character lacks depth, it's hard to be convinced that his sense
of urgency matters. The ticking Rolex flashes insistently but its import is only
slight. Mittal is out to contest his father's will and needs to find the key to
a security vault where overriding documents are stored. However, he's so
self-centered and nasty that it doesn't seem to matter if he gets the money or
not. A real sense of urgency could have increased the tension and momentum in
the action sequences, but by the time these are enacted, the imperative of time
is well and truly lost.
If the film had been a black comedy, rather than a drama, there wouldn't be the
need to identify with Mittal's plight but all the indicators suggest that it's a
drama that's being played out here. The comedy is mild and doesn't have the
biting irony or sense of the surreal that one associates with black humor.
During the action sequences Taxi No. 9211 veers into the realm of the murderous
and macabre as Shastri and Mittal go blow for blow into a mutually destructive
gridlock. And the worst of it is that this viewer didn't care! Needless to say,
I found the action a bit tedious as a result.
A parallel can be drawn here with Tyagi's adapted screenplay for Ek Ajnabee.
There too I felt that the action did not link convincingly with character
development; it was rather gratuitous and overblown. In Taxi. No. 9211
aggression goes well beyond rage and taints the characters to a point that makes
Shastri's redemption in particular, seem a bit convenient. (If one reflects on
his deeds.) However, it was good to get back to normality; good to have a
decently executed song at that point - one that got me thinking about
relationships and feelings albeit in a manipulative way.
 Aazamale, Aazamale
is not a show-stopping tune, but its melodramatic picturization helped make
these two monsters almost human again. The constant between it, and the mind
numbing action scenes was much appreciated.
Taxi No. 9211 elicits strong performances from its cast, has a vibrant backdrop
and an interesting soundtrack (Vishal and Shekhar). It loses its grip pre
and post interval but delivers in the end. A terrific performance from Nana
Patekar ameliorates the bumps and wrong turns effectuated by both screenplay and
direction. |
