Mockery of Loyalty!

Film Review: Cocktail

Cast: Deepika Padukone, Saif Ali Khan, Diana Penty, Dimple Kapadia, Boman Irani

Produced By: Saif Ali Khan and others

Directed By: Homi Adajania

Music: Pritam

My Rating: 3/5

The English Dictionary defines ‘loyal’ as ‘firm and faithful in your support.’ Cocktail twists and tweaks the term per convenience. The lead characters give their best to justify disloyalty in the garb of loyalty! Confused? Well, I sure was after watching the movie. I wondered if I witnessed a mockery of loyalty in friendship for three long hours!

Cocktail and the hype around it created a lot of expectations from the Saif- Deepika onscreen chemistry (think Love-Aaj- Kal). But I was disappointed—not with the movie so much but with the casting. Had Mr. Khan just remained producer of the movie and let a younger hero like Ranbir Kapoor, Ayushman Khurrana or Shahid Kapoor play the male lead, the movie would have fared better. I have nothing against 40+ heroes. In fact, I love many of them (Salman Khan rocks!). But this movie just wasn’t cut out for Saif Ali Khan.  

Coming back to the story, Cocktail doesn’t say anything new with the script. But the treatment is different. And this is where Deepika Padukone’s character stands out. As Veronica, she sets the screen on fire with her spontaneous acting, beauty and sex appeal. The characterization is refreshing. Veronica rescues the damsel-in-distress Meera (Diana Penty) and the two soon become the best of friends. Diana adds freshness to the movie and acts quiet well in her debut film. Her character is opposite to that of Veronica and she exudes the ‘mystery girl’ charm (the one who plays hard to get).

All was good till Saif (Gautam) entered their lives and ruined the friendship. For a while, the friendship between the trio was building up well. But too much of Saif-ism failed to blend with the persona of the two young leading ladies. The music is good and the ‘Tum hi ho bandhu’ track is my favorite.

The movie stretched in the second half. It was indeed a cocktail of affairs with Gautam sleeping and sharing even the toothbrush with one of the girls and romancing the other! He was literally ‘in love’ with one and ‘in bed’ with the other with all three sharing the same apartment! Imagine the ordeal of the audience.

I give full marks to the director for trying out a new concept through Veronica’s character; and a big zero for failing to take the concept to fruition. The woman with ‘high morals’ has to win! And win what? A 42 year old good-for-nothing geek whose only passion in life is to sleep with women and fool around with an equally foolish and loose uncle! There is NOTHING about Gautam’s characterization that will impress you! Being the producer himself, Saif could have worked a bit more on his character. If this was a Hollywood flick, both girls would have dumped this pathetic guy! Dimple Kapadia as the mother and Boman Irani as the uncle are totally wasted in this movie.

In the end, I want to ask the director: Did we really need a mockery of loyalty? The youth in this new age are fast, ambitious and like to enjoy a good life. But does it mean they are disloyal to their friends? On the one hand, we have movies like ‘Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara’, ‘Ek Main Aur Ek Tu’ and even ‘Bol Bachchan’ celebrating loyalty and friendship. And here we have a ‘Cocktail’ where loyalty and friendship are at par with one-night stands! The equation between true friends is seldom so shallow.

The movie is worth a one-time watch only due to the music, the cinematography and the girls. But you can easily skip it if you have something better planned for the weekend!