By Joginder Tuteja
There are certain scripts that can lead to an altogether different screenplay and eventually a very different film when narrated via diverse schools of filmmaking. That’s what 420 IPC turns out to be. While director Manish Gupta does a fine job in packing a lot in this 90 minutes tale, albeit rather realistically, had it been with Abbas-Mustan then it could well have been titled Race 4 or Humraaz 2 with brothers, sisters, old foes, new enemies and a dash of extra marital with a few murders added in. This isn’t all, the film would have boasted of Pritam’s songs too and turned into a 140 minute whodunit thriller.
The situation is different though in 420 IPC as it comes with its own plans. To begin with, it has a bunch of actors coming together who are known to bring a lot of substance to the scene, if not the moolah at the box office. With Vinay Pathak and Ranvir Shorey coming together along with Gul Panag, you know that good performances are guaranteed. Also, you know that the situations would be handled in a middle of the road manner with nothing really going over the top.
All of this adds on to the engrossing narrative of this film which has its base on an economic fraud. Vinay Pathak, a CA, Is accused of forgery of three cheques worth 1.5 crores by his boss Arif Zakaria. With a history of CBI questioning behind him, the man finds himself cornered before an ‘achcha aur sasta’ vakeel Rohan Mehra steps in to bail him out. Ranvir Shorey, a seasoned public prosecutor, simply plays by the book while the judge Sanjay Gurbaxani stays on to be a bit biased due to his Parsi roots connect with Ranbir, albeit without making it much apparent.
In this entire tale, there are a lot of legalities thrown in. Various sections, penal codes, evidences of guilt, witness badgering etc etc are heard in quick succession and while the case seems like open and shut after the first 40 minutes, it’s what happens post that point is what makes 420 IPC a well laid out drama.
There are a few red herrings thrown in, twists and turns are abound, some of the hints make you start applying your brains to be a step ahead of the characters and never once can you can actually guess what’s the real motive and intention behind the drama that plays on screen. You know for sure that an offence has been committed and it’s the who, why and the how that keep you engaged.
What jars though are a few things that could easily have been taken care of. Especially in scenes featuring Gul Panag, some of the dialogues are repeated way too often, case in point being saying ‘Kuch bhi nahi hai’ 3 times in 30 seconds when a search is on. Then some dialogues are said in English and then repeated exactly the same way in Hindi (these signatures are forged, yeh signatures forged hain)! The studio dubbing of Rohan Mehra’s voice is not in synch with the level of voice of the other actors in the scene. Also, at a couple of places, one wishes that the production was better, especially in the outdoor shots where actors are interacting with each other.
The film is an entertainer for sure but needs to be watched very attentively. Moreover, the last 15 minutes are wrapped up way too quickly. A more tense atmosphere been created here would have been made it all the more enjoyable since as a viewer you are really surprised by the turn of events. The film’s final shot is well placed and is in synch with the theme set by Manish Gupta.
Streaming at ZEE5, 420 IPC is a good follow up to Scam 1992: The Harshad Mehta Story. While that was a series with a slow burning narrative, this one is a film with a lot packed in those 90 minutes that makes for an exciting watch.