Rocket Singh: Salesman of the Year

THE-LENS

**Film: Rocket Singh: Salesman of the Year** **Director:** Shimit Amin **Release date:** 11 December 2009 (UK) **Screenplay:** Jaideep Sahni **Cast:** It stars Ranbir Kapoor in the title role, with D. Santosh, Gauahar Khan, Naveen Kaushik, Prem Chopra, Manish Chaudhari, and debutante Shazahn Padamsee in supporting roles. **Review by Dr Usman Latif Khawaja** If Madoff was not a mal-salubrious salesman who was extremely corrupt to the core, then Shimit Amin is the very antithesis or alter ego of that entity, as he makes a fantasy mixing religion, corporate corruption, and the dream to cure a corrupt world in this limpid comedy, which is a sad reminder of the golden period when Basu Chatterjee, Hrishikesh Mukherjee, and Gulzar made comic classics like *Naram Garam*, *Gol Maal*, *Manzil*, *Angoor*, and *Khatta Meetha*. Shimit lacks not just their vision but also the talent that was available to Bollywood in the seventies and before, and the persona that defined stardom. This, despite its Capraesque demeanour and outrageous plot, which is downright riddled with loopholes from start to beginning, is nothing but a tedious sermon on pseudo-morality and lacks that single moment where one can relate to the limpid drama and direction. Another disappointment from Amin after *Love Aaj Kal*, as *Chak De! India* seems to be just a flash in the pan. The result is a fake and fetid drama impersonating immorality, as if there is no such thing as a moral dilemma, as the hero is a sugar-candy saint while the rest of the protagonists are all villains. **NOTHING NEW FROM YASH RAJ**, as they have now made this their regular formula for two decades.