Shaad Ali's previous film Saathiya was a masterpiece of simplicity...taking the cliched old style love story and moulding it into an enchanting and involving film, with ordinary characters and ordinary situations. Some of this has found its way into Shaad ali's new offering, Bunty aur Bubli, where he tries to emulate the Desai films of the past and make a hilarious caper in his own style. However, he falls flat in this attempt which ends up being a half-baked film with no where to go.

Rakesh aka Bunty doesn't want a normal job. He dreams of making it rich with his ideas of a fund and following his dream, he skips home and runs off to try to raise finance for his scheme. On the other hand, Vimmi aka Bubli, runs off from home to join a beauty contest instead of accepting the arranged marriage which is being thrust upon her. Fate brings the two together and disheartened by their circumstances and failures at being able to achieve what they set out to do, they embark on a scheme of survival, together. None of this is really believable and we are not talking in terms of serious cinema here. This is no Bonnie and Clyde, the film that appears to be its inspiration (it is nothing like it), nor is this Badlands . The failures of our protagonists is never really felt and all too easily, our Bunty aur Bubli have made a name for themselves as being the thieving duo, easily duping people out of their money and enjoying their life of crime. Somewhere out of the blue, the two decide to get married.

All this takes us to interval when we come across disgruntled cop Dashrath [Amitabh Bachchan] who wants to nab the thieving duo. But is all so predictable and the whole idea of pitting father in son against each other does not provide anything to look forward to. Bachchan senior actually slows the film down further and we are then forced to endure a lackluster song with Bachchans and Aishwarya Rai, intended to get the viewer excited but instead providing a much needed toilet break instead. The film then sluggish stutters on until it reaches its rather pathetic and utterly predictable climax!

The biggest problem with Bunty aur Bubli is that it has script full of craters. The realism in Saathiya is missing here apart from a few flashes right in the beginning. The sequence involving the sale of Taj Mahal, whilst quite an amusing idea, is dull and very unfunny. Liberties are taken to the extent that the viewer has to suspend belief and take it almost as a fantasy caper. While this may have worked in the Desai movies, in today's times, it simply is unacceptable. In any event, the Desai movies, being Amar Akbar Anthony, Parvarish or any other were done with a great deal of humour, something which is sorely missing in this film. The climax of the film provides evidence that this is not a film about the characters and their trials and tribulations, but simply a caper that's trying to run it for laughs, but failing fairly miserably in the process.

Shaad Ali's direction simply does not provide the film with the required zip and one wonders where its actually going..it seems to be confused as to which genre it belongs to. Its neither fully slapstick, neither does it aspire to be serious as such. Its simply a middle of the road tale.

Abhishek Bachcan is an actor who is maturing with each role and brings to Bunty, a softness and charm which gives the flim a flicker of a glow. Rani on the other hand is irritating. Amitabh passes muster in a role which does not require much. Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy's music is a let down. A couple of tracks are hummable but one expected much more with Gulzar having penned the lyrics.

One expected much more…On the whole, an extremely disappointing film.