Review: Honeymoon Travels

Honeymoon Travels (drama)
Cast : Abhay Deol, Minissha Lamba, Kay Kay Menon, Raima Sen, Shabana Azmi, Boman Irani Direction : Reema Kagti

The idea is smart. The implementation lack lustre. And herein lies the tragedy of Honeymoon Travels , a film which would have worked so well if the director had chosen to infuse a bit of comedy in her ensemble act.

Of course, she does begin on the right track, bringing in the laughs initially with Ranveer Shorey displaying his characteristic forte with humour as the Gujju newly-wed who must contend with a wife who elopes with her erstwhile lover on their honeymoon. Or, in her delightful introduction of the Parsi boy-meets-girl-in-childhood track, with those special effects that promise some fun later on.

But alas! the fun turns out to be ekdum thanda and the couple (Abhay Deol and Minissha Lamba) are actually cuter minus their super powers; their doggy-kitty act in the bedroom is more endearing. As for Ranvir Shorey? Oops, why would a director chose to dispense with the ace up her sleeve in the first few reels?

A totally unforgivable faux pas, since Shorey is fast turning out to be TV’s best export to Bollywood. The story is simple, uncluttered. Six couples go on a honeymoon trip together in a bus that takes them to Goa. It’s one of those typical group touristy stuff where oddly assorted people are bundled together on day-long cruises and sight-seeing trips.

The drama should ostensibly spring from the oddballs’ interactions. But after the introductions, and a few predictable twists in the middle, the story just does not move forward. This despite the fact that most of the characters pitch in fine performances, even though they have little to do.

The finest act comes from Raima Sen and Kay Kay, the bourgeois Bengali couple, who suddenly discover they are actually hippies beneath their middle class, conventional upbringing. Of course, Boman and Shabana are veterans by now, but one would have expected a more fleshed out role for them than playing with the word ‘Ghalib.’ For a debut act, let’s just say the director shows promise but needs polish in the art of storytelling

SOURCE : THE TIMES OF INDIA