Film: Don Mutthuswamy
Cast: Mithun Chakraborty, Rohit Roy, Hrishitaa Bhatt, Mohit Raina
Rating: 2/5
A whacko ex-Don caught in a web of trickery and confusion uses his smart-alecky brains to not only gain his lost money back but also a suitable husband for his daughter and in the bargain finds his lost love too. A comedy of errors, Don Mutthuswamy rests on Mithun’s shoulders and once again he proves they are sturdy enough.
Don Muthuswamy is a dreaded Don until one day his father, who is on his death-bed, makes him promise that he leave all his illegal activities and turn a new leaf. The movie begins on the morning of the day he plans to invest all his savings in a chit fund and thus finally say goodbye to his illegal past.
However, the day promises to be far more eventful. He learns that his money is being stolen by his own employee and the chase to get it back begins. Added to this are complications arising of his daughter’s ploy to escape the marriage proposal forced on her. And the police that is desperate to gain evidence against the Don to nail him, not believing that he has left the business. This madness comes together in a comedy almost Shakespearean in its goof-ups.
The film maintains a balance between its comedy and emotional sequences, refraining both from over-the-top madness or tear-jerking soppiness. Characterisations are not broad but suffice to bring the characters alive, sustaining the mood. The comedy is not in the dialogues; hence, it does not fall all over itself trying to deliver witty one-liners.
Mithunda is the soul of the film performing with an élan he has not been seen in for a while. It is refreshing to see his agility! The supporting cast commendably puts in it’s due to bring value to this otherwise low-brow film. Rohit Roy, Hrishitaa Bhatt and newcomer Mohit Raina display a nice confidence in their two-dimensional roles.
The film has some unnecessary sequences like the gangster-rival one but since it’s so blink-n-miss it doesn’t really harm the film. Nevertheless, it gives the screenplay a touch of convenience rather than smartness that it begs. There are other ample examples of convenient denouement throughout but it does not harm the pace, rather it takes the film forward evenly.
Lack of song and dance routines (there are but two songs in total!) may make the film look less colourful but it’s to the credit of the director that lack of songs do not divest the narrative of its vigour. The two songs, one a romantic dream sequence and the other the inevitable wedding song, are sadly nothing much to talk about.
Mithunda’s popularity is unfazed, despite his age and lack of memorable films in more than a decade. This film definitely tries to cash it and more or less would have benefited had it got adequate mileage. A tepid publicity drive will ensure limited droves to the theatres–at least in the metros–but once there, they might not choose to leave in a hurry. And for die-hard Mithun fans, there sure is no disappointment in store. Definitely watchable once.
