It was all gloom and doom until a film, with a not so happening cast burst onto the scene. Although a Yashraj production, with the likes of Abhishek Bachchan, John Abraham and Esha Deol, not much was expected in terms of success at the box-office. Armed with a hit song Dhooom machade, the film arrived with a whimper but managed to conjure up quite a storm.

The film begins with a slick robbery, all split screens and zippy editing to make it a thrilling start to the film. An armoured truck is robbed by a gang of four helmeted, leather-suited bikers. Assigned to the case is ACP Jai Dixit (Jai Dixit) and there begins a game of cat and mouse between the cops and robbers. He soon discovers that the motor bikes are no ordinary bikes and this sets him off in the search for where these bikes may be obtained from leading him to Ali (Uday Chopra), a tapori, doubling up as a motor mechanic as well as dealing in stolen motor bikes. Down on his luck as no girl seems to want him, he is forced into helping ACP Dixit in finding the gang of four. On one of their outings, Ali comes across a sultry Sheena (Esha Deol) who seems to zap Ali completely.

The gang of Four is headed by Kabir (John Abraham), in it for the money and the thrill of beating the cops. Working as pizza delivery boys by day, they plan their robberies at night. However, one night, the robbers are ambushed and lose one of their bikes. It is then that Ali discovers that the bikes have been souped up with nitrous oxide, which gives the bikers the added advantage when it comes to the cops chasing them.

Indignant at Jai,, Kabir challenges Jai and tells him where the next robbery is going to take place on the condition that if he escapes, ACP Dixit will stop chasing him. Accepting the challenge, Jai comes a cropper when Kabir gets away with the loot, prompting a very public fall out between Jai and Ali and causing Jai to resign from the police force. This prompts Kabir to approach Ali to join the gang for what is to be a final robbery.

Gadhvi has the likeable and assured Mere yaar ki shaadi under his belt but moves in a completely different direction with Dhoom. Although inspired by The Fast and the Furious and Ocean’s eleven, Gadhvi produces a slick and pacy caper movie without any unnecessary characters or scenes to slow down the pace of the film. A song here and there could have been removed but ultimately, it doesn’t really detract from the film. Gadhvi uses the split screen to excellent effect, unlike Rajiv Rai’s extensive use of the medium in Asambhav which was gimmicky and irritating. Here, it lends polish to what is already a very slick product.

Abhishek Bachchan is assured and carries off his role with gusto and a great deal of quiet humour, not unlike his father. Finally, he seems to be coming of age. Uday Chopra has his moments and plays to the gallery. John Abraham has a good presence and gives a reasonable account of himself as well. The real corker of the film turns out to be a reinvented Esha Deol, who seems to have grown from being a rather wishy washy girl to a woman with oomph. She radiates on screen and some of her mother’s spunkiness comes through as well. This film should do wonders for her career. Rimii Sen is ordinary.

The film is not to be taken seriously. It’s a yarn, a caper with the good guys and against the bad. But its done with style and that its got plenty of. A great summer movie