Friendship: a relationship Indian cinema has explored countless times. In fact some of our classic movies are based on this theme, whether it’s Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikander, Dil To Pagal Hai or Kuch Kuch Hota Hai. These are your typical filmi depictions of friendship. E Niwas and Abbas Tyrewala now bring to you friendship with a twist. How far would you go to stop a friend from making the biggest mistake of his life?
De Taali is the story of Abhi (Aftab Shivdasani), Paglu (Riteish Deshmukh) and Amu (Ayesha Takia), an inseparable trio that have a fourteen year old friendship. But hold on! If you’re expecting a ‘rona-dhona’ style of friendship where they die for each other then hold up! De Taali is as realistic as friendship gets on celluloid. Life for the three is smooth until after Abhi’s 31st breakup Paglu starts feeling that the reason his friend has never found the perfect girl is because the perfect girl is his best friend. He is sure that Abhi too will realize this and even convinces Amu who innocently and hopelessly falls in love with the idea of Abhi and her. But then comes a mighty twist in the form of Kartika, or Anjali (Rimi Sen). She is Abhi’s 32nd relationship and Abhi is still far from realizing that Amu is the ideal girl for him. What happens next is two friends desperate battle to save Abhi from committing the biggest mistake of his life!
This film showcases friendship in an entirely new avatar. It actually admits that sometimes lies and secrets are needed to keep a friend safe. E Niwas’ creativity probably won’t be accepted right away because audiences want yet another typical dosti flick with friends-forever tracks and emotional teary climaxes. But De Taali delivers something totally different, emerging from a new genre we like to call drama-edy. The core of the movie is drama. However, the packaging is comedic and this may not work in favour of the film. For Indian cinema, this genre is still growing and has yet to be whole-heartedly accepted by audiences. As usual, E. Niwas is up for trying something new and for those who love a refreshing storyline and a great laugh De Taali will definitely click with them.
The movie is filled with surprises, the first one being that Rimi Sen can indeed act! The actress shows immense amount of potential especially in the scene after Kartika’s secret is revealed. It makes it rather devastating to look back at all the movies in which she has been wasted. We hope to see her doing more of such roles. The second surprise is that Riteish Deshmukh is not just made for comedy. The actor gets a chance to show a different side to his talent, not drastically, but definitely enough to convince people that he cannot be typecasted.
Aftab Shivdasani proves again and again that he is talented but still somehow seems to get left behind in the rat race. One can only hope one day in the near future he’ll shine like he deserves to. He gets limited scope thanks to scene-stealer Riteish but still leaves an impact.
It is a well established fact now that Ayesha Takia is a bundle of talent. The actress is top notch once again and looks great. Her comic timing is excellent and proves to be a big asset in proving her versatility. She is quickly proving to be a chameleon as she transforms beautifully in any role.
Dialogues are the key to success in a comedy and Abbas Tyrewala crafts them well. Screenplay is adequate, barring in mind some unneeded scenes. Vishal and Shekhar’s musical style goes well with the movie and its look. Picturization of both title tracks is impressive. Special mention needs to be made to the chemistry shared amongst all the actors which is brilliant, in particular the chemistry between Ritiesh and Ayesha and Riteish and Rimi.
On the whole E. Niwas’ creative mind will take a while for audiences to get used to. My Name is Anthony Gonsalves had the same problem at the box office and possibly De Taali might as well. However, the comic packaging of the movie and the familiar faces will definitely prove to be an asset. We on the other hand definitely recommend giving the movie a shot.
