Cirkus review: Two Ranveer Singh(s) make Rohit Shetty's comedy of errors a lethargic watch

1.5/5

In order to test his nature vs. nurture theory, Dr. Roy Jamnadas divides two sets of identical twins he finds at the entrance to the orphanage he oversees and places them up for adoption with two different families in two different cities. A few years later, one set of twins decides to travel to the city where the other set of twins manage a circus. What happens next is a comedy of mistakes and misunderstandings, but in the end, they finally meet face-to-face and find out the truth.

I had "concocted" a theory that the Current Laga Re song featuring Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh will be a promotional track to be played during the end credits. I just wish the theory was right, as the song became the most misfitting placement I have seen in recent times. That was the first blunder made by Rohit Shetty in Cirkus, a film filled with them. In 1982, Sanjeev Kumar and Deven Verma played the main roles in Gulzar's Angoor, which was a simple but hilariously confusing movie.

Shetty took the story 12 years back and made something so colourful in a make-believe setting that it looked more like a play than a film. Set in the 1970s, the film is set against the backdrop of then-Bangalore and Ooty, which felt more like Dubai Miracle Garden than the cities mentioned. After a while, it felt so bright and colourful that you might find yourself twitching your eyes.

Well, the colourful vibe was not the only reason, but the whole film was so deadpan that you might end up keeping your palm on your forehead or even covering your eyes. Well, I understand comedy is a tough genre, but making it tough to watch is like adding another feather to your cap. You want people to laugh; please add jokes that are funny.

It was unfortunate to see actors like Sanjay Mishra and Johnny Lever fail to make an impression, and the only reason for this is because of the dialogues they were given. But, to give credit where credit is due, the only time I heard the entire theatre burst out laughing was during the only train sequence, and rightfully so. Sadly, an out-and-out comedy film having one funny sequence doesn't make the rest of the two hours and 22 minutes tolerable.

With the intention of making a time-passing movie, I genuinely waited for the time to pass, as there weren't any scenes to look forward to. Entering into a scene with the intention of making it funny made it duller.

In Cirkus, Murali Sharma is the narrator, and it seemed like he was playing the similar role he did in Ala Vaikunthapurramuloo, which was to switch children and make their lives miserable for his own selfish reasons.

Siddhartha Jadhav was the best comic in the whole movie, and he was the best thing about the supporting cast. However, his antics seem to be an extension of Johnny Lever's, and after a point in time, they just felt like a mimicry of the comedy legend.

Varun Sharma, who also has a dual role in the film, just felt like he was forced to be a part of it. The actor just had to do the comedy or performance like he did in his earlier films, especially Fukrey, and not write down a special assignment to fit into the 1970s era.

Talking about the female leads, hands down, the most mature acting done among the lot is by Pooja Hegde, who, with her grace and without going over the top, delivered decently and beautifully and looked the part. I can't say the same about Jacqueline Fernandez, as despite having the retro look throughout, it seemed more like she was in "Bhoot Police" mode.

Ranveer Singh has proven his versatility as an actor over the last 12 years, ranging from lover boy to simple boy with big dreams to cunning antagonist. So, comedy should be yet another role for him to get into the groove, right? Well, that's not the case. Despite playing two different characters, his lacklustre performance in Cirkus made him the weakest of all. The only time you see the actor "perform" is when he gets the shock of his life while his nearby twin brother holds the live wire, as he is a human conductor.

With the circus as the backdrop, you expect these diverse actors to put on a show that's wholly entertaining. With Ranveer as the star, you can expect an electrifying performance. The actor looked tired in most of the sequences, and it actually felt like he might burst into laughter during the supposedly funny sequences. Maybe the environment on the set was funny because the scenes weren't.

Rohit Shetty and his team of writers, including Yunus Sajawal, Farhad Samji, Sanchit Bedre, and Vidhi Ghodgaonkar, took a leaf out of William Shakespeare's The Comedy of Errors, blended it with the desi touch of Angoor, and gave us the screensaver that you might neglect and end up checking your phones instead.

The songs in the film are composed by Devi Sri Prasad, Badshah, and Lijo George-DJ Chetas. But except for the misfit "Current Laga Re," nothing will get you added to your playlist. However, Rohit Shetty made direct references to the 1970s and reminded us that those songs were gold. So, thank you for taking us on a nostalgia trip and playing the amazing retro songs "Badan Pe Sitare," "Bewafa," and "Aa Jaane Ja," among others, in the background.

Over the years, Rohit Shetty has given us iconic dialogues in his films, and one of my favourites is "Jaldi bol kal subah Panvel nikalna hai." I had no plans of visiting Panvel anytime soon, but Cirkus definitely made me say that dialogue every now and then.

Cirkus is the dullest commercial watch in recent memory, thanks to all work and no play from a talented ensemble cast.