102 not out: Seasoned acting, but weak screenplay
Umesh Shukla’s directorial venture, ‘102 not out’ is a celluloid adaptation of a Gujarati play of the same name. The story revolves around the sweet and sour relationship between 102 year old Dattatreya Vakharia (Amitabh Bachchan) and his 75 year old son Babulal (Rishi Kapoor). The two are as different as chalk and cheese. The centenarian prefers bright coloured T shirts and has a zest for life. While khadi clad Babulal has learnt to live a regulated life with timed showers and regular medical check ups. Serving as a foil to the two during their constant friction is Dhiru (Jimit Trivedi), a delivery boy from the neighbourhood.
What works for this film are Bachchan and Kapoor’s seasoned acting and their effortless interaction. Between the loud energetic father and the grouchy son are several well written moments which will make you giggle.
Where the film fails is in its bland screenplay which feels interrupted at times as if it is moving from one act to another. Saumya Joshi’s script for a play hasn’t been suitably adapted for a film. The Gujarati accent doesn’t work for both leads. The music doesn’t help either.
Overall, the film is worth a one-time watch for its funny dialogues which are far and few. A little more work on the screenplay would have made it memorable.
