Review: 102 NOT OUT

Accha Hai Lekin Moral Science Se Bhara Hai

2.5 stars

Mini Review:

A man who is 102 years old and full of life teaches a lesson

or two or three to his grouchy 75 year old son. Amitabh

Bachchan and Rishi Kapoor make this father and son

melodrama a good watch simply because they deliver. But

if you step away from the casting coup, the loud violins that

accompany the moralising and the mawkish sentimentality

could put you off. Should have been a Sunday afternoon

theatrical production, with a family hug afterwards…

Main Review:

Remember Baghban? Where grown up children with lives of their

own behave really badly with their parents? Who like Lear have

signed off all their wealth to the ungrateful brats? The film

assumes that the parents can never go wrong because ‘Indian

Values’. Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham had the same infallible

mother character and an autocratic dad who eventually comes

around. Bollywood celebrates age and parenthood as if it were

some treasure. Gone are the days of Lalita Pawar who practically

dumps the baby from her hands in Sujata. 102 Not Out is a

140 minute moral science lesson that’s sugar coated.

Rishi Kapoor is a star performer here, playing the grouchy 75 year

old, set in his ways, and disagreeable to change. Even though it

is his dad who plots and plans to infuse some enthusiasm into the

old man, it is Rishi Kapoor who steals the thunder with his

reactions.

Amitabh Bachchan plays the father who is 102 years old but acts

as if he is 26. He is full of life and his will to live is amazing. It’s

his awful wig and the missing tooth that is very distracting.

Considering that there are only three characters driving the film,

the wig is a huge distraction. But it is very good to see Amitabh

Bachchan play the kooky father with a motive with as much

enthusiasm as he did when he played the stern patriarch

in Sooryavansham.

In this film, he is trying to teach his crotchety son how to live.

Reminds you of him singing ‘Mere Paas Aao Mere Doston

Ek Kissa Suno’ when he teaches life lessons to his son. The

one scene where he says, ‘I will not let my son lose’, he is

brilliant.

The third character in the film is a medical store delivery chap

who is practically a part of the household, a bridge between

father and son. Almost like a conscience. Actor Jimit Trivedi

does a fine job.

But the treatment of the entire film is so melodramatic, it takes

away from the joy of the story. Especially the TV soap ending.

This film is a great Sunday afternoon TV watch.

(this review appears on nowrunning dot com)