Emotionally Charged Cocktail
Film: Cocktail – Film Review
Producer: Saif Ali Khan & Dinesh Vijan
Director: Homi Adjania
Cast: Saif Ali Khan, Deepika Padukone, Diana Penty, Boman Irani,
Dimple Kapadia, &Randeep Hooda.
Genre: Romance
Rating: 
The way the story of Cocktail unfolds reminds us of Imtiaz Ali’s earlier
films. You can virtually see the similarities in the characterizations. But here
the subject per say demanded a young star cast in their twenties, and could
have been titled Mocktail instead. But with the present cast of Saif Ali Khan
as Gautam Kapoor, Deepika Padukone as Veronica D’costa, and Diana
Penty as Meera and their age group the title goes well with their romantic
escapades in creating a love triangle with Randeep Hooda as Kunal Ahuja
in a cameo forming a formidable rectangle you can say. The only possible
distraction noticeable is the performance of Saif Ali Khan trying to chase
anything in skirt in order to establish his character of an incorrigible flirt is
way too funny and downright ridiculous.
So now leaving aside the age group lets concentrate on the format
of Cocktail, the way it is presented. It’s the story of Veronica D’costa a free
bird, wild, impulsive and an out an out party animal, trying to come to terms
with her disturbed upbringing. She clashes into Meera who is yet to get out
of the shock of being cheated and duped of her money and being a victim of
a hoax marriage. So what next? Dear Veronica takes dear Meera into her
fold and gives her a roof and no sooner they bond strongly and are thick of
pals. At this point of time enters Gautam a compulsive flirt and forms a
triumvirate under one roof of Veronica’s. From here on starts a full of fun
and frolic rollercoaster of a ride replete with ample doses of emotions
flowing all around. Primarily filmed on the streets of London and the exotic
and scenic beaches of Cape Town in South Africa is nothing sort of an eye
candy. There are Discos, Pubs and lounge bars, crowded sequences;
Deepika’s dancing on the table in the Grand Night Club in Clapham
Junction, which is as good as an item number of sorts are very well
executed. Pritams music is rocking and most of the tracks add to the
narrative in most situations. There is an element of cocktail in the films
music. Songs “Tumhi Ho Bandhu”, sung by Neeraj Shridhar and Kavita
Sheth has a trance like effect, and also Desi Daru and other numbers add to
the flavor and tempo of the film. Boman Irani as Randhir (Randy) Kapoor is
over the top and has nothing much to do and is virtually wasted and same is
the case with Dimple Kapadia as Kavita Kapoor. Their presence is to create
those twists in the tale which they do with aplomb. Diana as a typical Indian
girl with conservative values, getting into the modern lifestyle mould, yet
remaining rooted most of the time has an appeal of its own. She is at her
ethereal best in the intoxicating number “Tumhi Ho Bandhu”, which is in
fact the highlight of the film. Saif Ali Khan with his stubble look does put in
a spirited performance, with his comic timing well in place and does look
enduring despite his age, especially in the item number in end credit
titles “Second Hand Jawani”, which again is a rocking number no doubt.
But it’s Deepika Padukone as Veronica who shines throughout with her
10,000 watt smile and lovely personification of a wild party girl with a heart
in its place. She has really grown as an actor over the years, and this role
seems to be one of her Best till date. Deepika’s fashion Statements may
catch up with younger generation in a very big way and the life style she is
shown living is the case with most rich kids and growing up teenagers who
are mostly living such life day in day out totally meaningless but fully
consuming and indulging for the young jet set. Homi Adjania has a winner
no doubt up his sleeves. He has done a very good job as compared to his
earlier dark film “Being Cyrus”. He has managed to extract some really
good and power packed performances from practically the whole star cast.
At 45 crores the film does look big!
Cocktail as the title indicates is a strong concoction with flavor and fully
charged emotions. An entertainer for sure!!!
