Monday,
July
16,
2007
Cast-
Bobby
Deol,
Akshaye
Khanna,
debutante
Urvashi
Sharma,
Vishal
Malhotra,
Vikas
Kalantri
Directors-
Abbas-
Mustan
Rating-**1/2
Considered
master
thrillers
in
the
film
industry
here,
director
duo
Abbas
Mustan's
latest
Naqaab
has
been
touted
as
a
shocking
thriller.
Laced
with
exotic
locations,
beautifully
picturised
songs,
a
good
looking
cast
and
some
twists
and
turns,
the
film
is
a
good
package,
an
honest
effort.
There
are
a
few
minus
points
but
the
film
can't
be
called
disappointing.
Sophiya
(new
comer
Urvashi
Sharma),a
lonely
girl
in
Dubai
wins
over
multi
millionaire
Karan
(Bobby
Deol)
and
finds
acceptance
in
his
mansion
and
heart.
When
Karan
proposes,
Sophiya
accepts
and
goes
out
with
her
friends
to
celebrate
the
engagement.
Its
there
that
she
meets
the
dashing
Vicky
(Akshaye
Khannna)
who
is
there
along
with
his
two
side
kicks
(
Vikas
Kalantri
and
Vishal
Malhotra).
Sparks
between
the
two
fly
and
in
spite
of
trying
,the
engaged
Sophiya
fails
to
ward
off
the
charmer.
A
few
clandestine
meetings
later,
the
two
fall
for
each
other
hook,
line
and
sinker.
There
are
a
couple
of
elements
thrown
in
the
first
half
like
Urvashi's
stalker,
her
ghosts
of
the
past,
hidden
cameras
recording
the
activities
of
the
lovers,
Akshaye's
anonymous
calls
and
Bobby
Deol's
too
benevolent
and
sugary
lover
of
a
character
which
comes
across
as
deceptive.
The
nail
of
suspicion
points
towards
everybody.
In
fact
there
are
so
many
things
happening
in
the
first
half
that
it's
really
hard
to
comprehend
what's
going
on.
It's
towards
the
second
half
that
the
film
actually
takes
off
when
Sophie
spurns
Karan
on
their
wedding
day
at
the
altar,
his
supposed
'suicide'
and
the
actual
revelation.
Here
too
there
are
a
few
loose
ends
in
the
screenplay
like
lack
of
conviction
but
it's
the
climax
of
the
film
which
sparkles
when
one
comes
to
know
how
the
love
birds
staged
the
perfect
act
to
get
rid
of
their
exploiter.
This
revelation
towards
the
end
is
something
novel
which
the
directors
have
obviously
experimented
with.
This
should
appeal
to
the
multiplex
audiences
but
chances
are,
the
masses
might
not
be
able
to
grasp
this.
The
saving
grace
is
the
fact
that
the
film
is
not
too
long,
only
about
two
hours.
As
for
the
performances,
Akshaye
Khanna
is
scintillating
and
is
at
his
natural
best.
Bobby
Deol
is
good
too,
though
in
most
parts
of
the
film
he
plays
second
fiddle.
Junior
Deol
is
no
doubt
a
stylish
guy
but
minus
his
long
unkempt
locks
he
can
look
even
better
(wish
he
had
started
taking
this
advice
seriously).
Urvashi
Sharma
is
unconventionally
beautiful
and
has
a
great
body
which
she
flaunts,
sporting
everything
from
a
swimsuit
to
western
wear
to
sarees.
She
has
a
flexible
body
and
her
dance
moves
are
really
nice
(especially
in
the
salsa
and
the
Arabian
style
song).
She
tries
to
do
well
and
does
look
like
a
Catholic
character.
But
the
fact
that
she
has
not
too
many
expressions
on
her
face
serves
as
a
negative
quality
considering
the
fact
she
is
the
leading
lady
of
the
film.
Only
if
the
brilliant
Akshaye
had
given
her
some
more
tips!
Of
the
two
side
kicks,
Vishal
Malhotra
suits
his
role
and
Vikas
Kalantri
tries
to
do
so
but
unfortunately
appears
irritating
at
times.
No
wonder
he
could
never
make
it
as
a
leading
man
in
spite
of
slogging
hard.
Raj
Zutshi
doesn't
have
anything
much
to
do.
The
film
has
been
shot
well
in
beautiful
foreign
locations
and
also
edited
well.
In
fact
somewhat
of
an
international
feel
has
been
given.
The
lovemaking
scene
between
Urvashi
and
Akshaye
has
been
artistically
picturised
and
doesn't
look
awkward.
The
music
is
melodious
but
inferior
compared
to
the
earlier
films
of
the
men
in
white
(including
the
first
Bobby
-Akshaye
starrer
'Humraaz').
Except
for
a
few
points
here
and
there,
Naqaab
is
a
not
too
bad
fare
after
all
especially
since
it
has
some
innovativeness.