Release date: 14 October, 2016
Directed by: Sanjeev Sharma
Produced by: Neeraj Pandey (Wave Cinemas)
Written by: Sandeep Saket, Sanjeev Sharma
Starring: Manoj Bajpayee, Anupam Kher, Annu Kapoor, Aparshakti Khurana, Kay Kay Menon, Aditi Sharma
Music by: Abhishek Ray
Duration: 2 Hours 19 minutes
Censor Rating: A
About Saat Uchakkey
The film title – Saat Uchakkey (Seven Loafers) – builds up an expectation. And the cast including some very well-known names such as Manoj Bajpayee, Anupam Kher, Annu Kapoor, and Kay Kay Menon, deliver us exactly what was promised. A light comedy with more than generous use of expletives. Director Sanjeev Sharma’s directorial debut is meant to give us a fun two hours in the theatres, but the fact that the movie took over three years and over 90 snips from the censor board’s scissor must warn you.
The Plot
Saat Uchakkey is the story of seven small time crooks who not only take great pride in themselves but also come together in the hope of hitting it big – finding hidden treasure – to be precise. Pappi (Manoj Bajpayee) and his desire to wed Sona (Aditi Sharma) leads him through many shortcuts to Diwan’s (Anupam Kher) old Haveli and stories of a buried treasure. Add to the hotchpotch characters such as Bichhi (Annu Kapoor) a raving lunatic set free, dishonest cop Tejpal (Kay Kay Menon) and God, and you get a taste of the madness called Saat Uchakkey. While we’re all for tales of Mughal stashes hidden in Old Delhi mansions, we tried really hard (and failed) to detect a plot.
The Performance
Despite an ensemble of strong performers, Saat Uchakkey comes across as chaotic, crazy and crass. Sanjeev Sharma’s endeavour to achieve a slightly offbeat comedy of errors style flick falls flat. Except for the authenticity of the settings (the tapering bylanes of Old Delhi) and the fact that there exist people who lavish their language with swear words, nothing much seems realistic about the movie. Sharma has allowed the movie to run beyond endurance. So much so that one starts to wonder what kept up the 3 year long battle between the producers and the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC).
Music
Saat Uchakkey ropes in music director Abhishek Ray of Paan Singh Tomar and Welcome Back fame for its soundtrack. Well, in all fairness the soundtrack is well-composed even if the chaos on screen quite takes away any interest the soundtrack may generate. The songs of the movie were released by T-Series and form quite a nice medley. In keeping with the setting, expect anything between an item number and a classical melody.
1. Neat Quarter
Singer : Labh Janjua
Music : Jaidev Kumar
2. Cycle Se Chalaang
Singer : Kailash Kher
Music : Vivek Kar
The lyrics of both the above songs were written by Kumaar.
3. Husn Wale Farebi
Singer :Saket Singh
Music : Niranjan Khound, Saket Singh
Lyrics : Sahil Sultanpuri
The music album also includes a modern rendition of an old favourite
4. Chhap Tilak
Singer : Kirti Sagathia
Music : Bapi-Tutul
Lyrics : Amir Khusro
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
Good actors, a homely ‘purani Dilli’ feel, music that complements the movie – all good but the completely whacked out story starts to quickly go sour, while the screenplay and presentation are downright ugly.
Verdict
Maybe a one time watch. That is, if you love the cast for its promise and Old Delhi for its ability to shock and surprise you despite its familiarity. And do catch this flick only if your appetite for cuss words is a robust one. Given that this has an A rating from the censor board, it is best not to let kids anywhere near the theatre where Saat Uchakkey is playing. Director Sharma had the ingredients for a Biryani, but ended up with a poorly made Khichdi.
Saat Uchakkey Rating: ** (Two Stars)
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