Abbas
and Mustan have always been the masters of suspense thrillers. Their past releases
like Soldier, Ajnabee, Humraaz and Aitraaz have done very well commercially
at the UK box office. 36
China Town is no exception, falling into the murder mystery genre. The film
is set in Goa, where 36 China Town is the address for one of the characters. A
rich businesswoman, Sonia (Isha Koppikar), whose child has gone missing, is found
murdered. She has recently changed her will, due to personal reasons. She
was the owner of a casino, where millions of pounds change hands everyday. So
on the day of her visit to the office, her lawyer and her playboy friend Rocky
(Upen Patel) pay her a social visit. As
news that her child has been found filters in, tragedy strikes - Sonia is killed. Two
warring youngsters end up being the suspects. They are Raj (Shahid) and Priya
(Kareena), who are trying to earn a reward by returning the lost child. Amid
this tension we have Bollywood comedian Johnny Lever, an incorrigible loser at
the casino and his wife Tanaz Currim. There
is also Paresh Rawal who plays a rich man, and Payal Rohtagi his hot and two-timing
wife. Akshaye
Khanna, is the officer in charge, investigating the murder. Even as the needle
of suspicion moves from one suspect to the next, the lead characters are alternately
anxious and relieved. The
inspector trusts no one as he keeps a strict watch. When the film reaches the
climax, it is not fully predictable... But what is revealed is nothing spectacular. Of
the cast, Shahid and Kareena make an excellent on-screen couple. Paresh
Rawal and Johnny Lever provide a few laughs, though they do tend to get on your
nerves at times. The
ladies alternate between showing off their costumes and screaming. Music
by Himesh Reshammiya is about average with the title song Ashiqui Hai Meri
being the best of the lot. Upen
Patel has a good personality and will do well providing he can master the Hindi
language and brush up his voice and modulation skills. Technically
the film is neat, with editing and sound both above average. 36
China Town may not be a a box office hit, but it is well worth a watch. Guest
reviewer Dr.P.V.Vaidyanathan |