It’s hard to believe that Amrit Sagar Chopra, the director of the war story 1971, has helmed this sexist, cheesy, shallow film, which is clearly a desperate launch pad for the lead actor, Akash Chopra. (Notice the number of Sagars and Chopras credited on this film.) But, to be fair, Akash makes a rather confident debut, even if his comic timing and dance moves expose his inexperience. And why must all debutants show off their bodies in multiple shirtless scenes?

Former beauty queen Kochchar does not make much of an impact in a part that plays on the old-fashioned candy-coated idea of a childhood romance.

Akash is Sahil, whose wedding brings a large Punjabi family together. Before Sahil is wed to his childhood sweetheart Sneha (Tahira Kochchar), his cousin Shravan (Arshad Warsi) embarks on a mission to teach the young, faithful and idealistic man the rules of infidelity and how to con your wife. His motto is: to ‘have a happy married life you must cheat on your wife’.

Big brother shows younger brother examples of men in their family who have been successfully pulling the wool over their wives eyes for years. Their uncle (Paresh Rawal) has tutored Shravan on this ‘bhaichaara’ – a brotherhood that abides by a set of rules for successfully playing the field.

The other members of his brotherhood are Tinnu Anand and Shakti Kapoor. Only the family patriarch (Raj Babbar) appears upright.

Sahil is resistant at first, then tempted and finally on the threshold of cheating, a decision that could wreck his wedding.

The story relies on the stupidity and cluelessness of the women (played by Himani Shivpuri, Sushmita Mukherjee and Riya Sen) rather than the skill of the men at being indiscreet. Naturally, the film ends with a lesson that fidelity is preferable etc, with a ridiculous climax where Sahil dangles from a fort roof and pleads his case to a devastated Sneha.

Aseem Bajaj’s cinematography and Salim-Suleiman’s music bring a little gloss and rhythm to an otherwise rather juvenile and lackluster affair.

Rating: *