Dhan Dhana Dhan Goal- Movie Review

Reviewed by Sneha Hazarika

Cast- John Abraham, Arshad Warsi, Bipasha Basu, Boman Irani, Raj Zutshi, Kushal Punjabi, Raj Zutshi, Dalip Tahil
Director- Vivek Agnihotri
Rating- **1/2(a little above average)

After ‘Lagaan’, ‘Iqbal’ and ‘Chak De India’ this year, another sports based film hits the marquee. And its Vivek Agnihotri’s ‘Dhan Dhana Dhan Goal’ which earlier went actually by the single and more logical moniker before title issues troubled the makers.

The film deals with football and basically with racism which Asians as a whole have to face out there. The all Asian Southall United Football club is dying due to the lack of a single win in years, sponsors and money. When the City council sends out an eviction notice, captain of the team Shan (Arshad Warsi) and his bunch of players who still have a deep love for the game, take it upon them to win the battle. He enlists the help of ex Southall player, the disgraced Tony (Boman Irani) and works towards building a team. They still lack a striker and energetic young player Sunny (John Abraham) comes into the picture, but this stud is only interested in playing for a big club, and big money. How John is won over and how the team goes on to achieve glory amidst various highs and lows form the rest of the story. Bipasha Basu stars as the team physiotherapist and Arshad’s sis, for whom John takes a liking.

The film has been shot really well by cinematographer Attar Singh Saini. The football matches especially in the second hour have been shot and choreographed well. In fact the grand football finale in the film is quite exciting and is a saving grace of sorts.

However the main problem with ‘Goal’ is the predictability part. It’s the story of the rise of heroes (even the tagline says the same) and except for a few points the script of the film doesn’t really surprise the viewer.

There are other discreprencies as well. Some actors who play players look too old to be players. The way Arshad and John patch up towards the end of the film and how their big enmity ends, is not established well in the film. Arshad is injured in a game and is taken in a stretcherand the next moment he is seen dancing to the ‘Billo’ song and the moment after with a stick. Arshad’s wife talks with an accent but looks Asian. Her baby bump also seem to show too soon after she declares her pregnancy. Similarly John signs a contract with a major football club but goes back to playing for Southall in a spur of the minute decision. No one knows what happened to his exclusive contract that he had signed offending so many people! He again is supposed to be suffering from a hairline fracture on his nose and is injured severely in the finals but is shown recovering in a jiffy in the end. The love track between John and Bipasha is half baked.

As for the performances, Boman Irani and Arshad Warsi stand out. So does John. Dalip Tahil shines too in a negative role. Bipasha looks hot in many shots and acts well but at many points it seems she is there for the heck of it. Kushal Punjabi, Raj Zutshi and the rest of the players suit their roles. The graceful Shernaz Patel gets very little scope.
The title songs used as an anthem is good but the Billo song is strictly okay and looks out of place in the film.

The film has some good moments but as a whole it can be dubbed as an average effort.

(SAMPURN)