At the outset, I want to say that “Karthik Calling Karthik” has an interesting premise. All of us have to make difficult choices in life. There is always the risk that our judgment will not stand the test of time. Thus, in some way or another, we all yearn for a one-rule-fits-all sort of a solution. But then, real life is a little too complicated for it. In this backdrop, the film is an ambitious project. It is not a regular bollywood movie and the makers need to be given a pat on the back for trying to do something different. But the execution and especially the ending leaves a lot to be desired. Don’t get me wrong; it is not a bad movie. But it is not a movie that stays with you.
For starters, Farhan Akhtar, playing Karthik, does give a competent, heartfelt performance. I really liked his work as the unsure, mumbling Karthik. I do not understand why a filmmaker has to go in for change of look for the actor to transition from being a loser to being a super cool dude. Is there a thing called as a loser wardrobe? And what is this thing about getting rid of the glasses for the lenses? Anyways, that is a discussion for another day. Shonali, Karthik’s object of affection in the movie, is played by Deepika Padukone. She still does not understand that acting as a career certainly requires more than looking good. Though, I must say she is better than her earlier films but barely just.
Whereas the story had the potential to become a pretty good film, what it ends up being is an also ran. The director is successful in building a set-up for a good psycho thriller but is unable to carry through with it. As you go into the intermission, you are excited about what the second half holds. But alas after an exciting bit of foreplay, the climax is a dud. The treatment of schizophrenia is too simplistic and falls flat on its face. The ending is too contrived for its own good. Most of the characters apart from the leads are poorly written and basically caricatures.
The music is fairly decent and most of the tracks are regular Shankar Ehsaan Loy (SEL)-Javed Akhtar collaborations. Some of the songs in the second half clearly slow down the narrative and could have been avoided. The background track “Karthik 2.0” by Midival Punditz – Karsh Kale is really good and very unusual for a Hindi film. The cinematography is good and does serve the movie well. The romance between Deepika and Farhan is actually interesting but the main plot does not hold up for the movie to really build up on it.
In the end, I just want to say that “Karthik Calling Karthik” is a missed opportunity or in keeping with the telecom bit, a missed call.
Rating (2.0/4.0).
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