While as a film critic you try and abandon any preconceived bias before you watch a film, it is unavoidable that when you walk into a theatre to watch a film called Right Yaa Wrong (Missing an extra 'a' there, am I?), you feel pretty much like the proverbial lamb to the slaughter. Face it: under normal movie-going circumstances; I wouldn't be caught dead in a theatre screening this (or most other films that I review, for that matter).
Right Yaa Wrong is about Ajay Shridhar (Sunny Deol) and Vinay Patnaik (Irrfan Khan) who are fellow police officers and the best of friends. A murder takes place that results in a conflict between these friends who find themselves on different sides of the law and of right and wrong. Perhaps with slicker, better direction and a cleverer, darker screenplay that relied on more solid dramatic logic and revealed itself more teasingly, it could even perhaps have been a good noir-ish thriller- but then that's really wishful thinking considering the time and place the film comes from. Which is why when a clunky looking, 3 years in the making film with Sunny Deol actually turns out to be half-engrossing even in its clunky, old-fashioned way- even with a nice moment or two as bonus- you are mighty relieved, even grateful to the makers of the film for not torturing you to death like you expected.
Right Yaa Wrong is about Ajay Shridhar (Sunny Deol) and Vinay Patnaik (Irrfan Khan) who are fellow police officers and the best of friends. A murder takes place that results in a conflict between these friends who find themselves on different sides of the law and of right and wrong. Perhaps with slicker, better direction and a cleverer, darker screenplay that relied on more solid dramatic logic and revealed itself more teasingly, it could even perhaps have been a good noir-ish thriller- but then that's really wishful thinking considering the time and place the film comes from. Which is why when a clunky looking, 3 years in the making film with Sunny Deol actually turns out to be half-engrossing even in its clunky, old-fashioned way- even with a nice moment or two as bonus- you are mighty relieved, even grateful to the makers of the film for not torturing you to death like you expected.
Anshita (Eesha Koppikar) is Ajay’s wife. As Ajay is forever in call of duty unable to find time for her and his child, Anshita has, unknown to Ajay, drifted away from him and is having an affair with Sanju, Ajay’s stepbrother. Sanju is a strapping six-footer and loves Anshita madly. She is also content in his company. Being a successful entrepreneur herself, Ajay has no inkling of this affair as he is blissfully seeing a happy family in his mind while battling baddies. On fateful day, Ajay becomes crippled in an accident and Sanju moves in with them to help out. This gives time for the two lovers to be together. Ajay feels the pain of being crippled and his temper is on the rise all the time. One day, he wants his wife and Sanju to kill him and make Rs 5 crore from insurance. In a strange twist, Sanju and Anshita are killed instead. Everyboy’s sympathies are with Ajay. All except Vinay.
What happens next is what makes right or wrong. The finale sees Konkana Sen (Radhika) pitch her wits against her own brother Vinay Patnaik forms the crux of the story.
Sunny Deol does have his dishum dishum, but more than that, his histrionics shine.
Irrfan is superb and comes into his true element in the second half.
Sunny Deol does have his dishum dishum, but more than that, his histrionics shine.
Irrfan is superb and comes into his true element in the second half.
Konkona Sen Sharma has been well-utilised as the lawyer. The subtle nuances of her chemistry with Sunny Deol is well-etched in the script.
Even for the smaller characters, actors of the likes of Govind Namdeo, Suhasini Muley etc have been utilised, lending strength to the performances.
Even for the smaller characters, actors of the likes of Govind Namdeo, Suhasini Muley etc have been utilised, lending strength to the performances.
Arav Chowdharry is hot and is a perfect match for Eesha Koppikar to carry the bare-bodied scenes with aplomb. The comfort is evident in the scenes where he is with Eesha in bathtub, in bed, in a pool room et al. Watch out for this young man with an amazing screen presence. Eesha has done her part well, both emotional and in the bare-bodied sequences.
Even with its dowdiness and disturbingly half-baked logic that finally resolves its central moral conflict, Right Yaa Wrong is still surprisingly watchable, because the film mercifully sticks to its real point without digressing much. A few of the actors, especially Irrfan Khan- who manages to impress even here- definitely deserve credit for keeping the film afloat. Sunny Deol, missing from the screen for a while now, returns with a performance that's partly toned-down and partly plain morose, but he manages to pass muster simply with his physical presence. Konkona Sen Sharma also while cast in a part that hardly deserves her, does a sincere job, even delivering a punch line or two with decent panache.
Neeraj Pathak manages to keep the audiences glued to their seats in the thriller, throughout. Producer Krishan Choudhary has taken care to see to it that the production values are strong in the film.
All in all, it's Right Yaa Wrong, despite being dated, is surprisingly decently entertaining- nothing to write about or recommend - but not too bad a watch either if you don't have much to do.
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