Karthik Calling Karthik Review

Karthik Calling Karthik’, is the story of a lovable loser Karthik, whose life changes with the help of someone who also claims to be Karthik. A thrilling, soulful and romantic journey of this man’s victory against all odds.

The idea of a mystical assistance to succeed through life’s inevitable disappointments is quite a fascinating one. Genie in the lamp, Fairy Godmothers or any wish-granting medium is an upshot of this peculiar human fantasy.
Karthik Calling Karthik , too, stems from this deep-rooted desire.
Only our eponymous hero (Farhan Akhtar [ Images ]) isn’t Aladdin, Cinderella or Bruce Nolan (of Almighty fame). A stereotypical weak geek at the receiving end of his scowling landlord (Vipin Sharma doing what he does best — snap) and growling boss (Ram Kapoor with his snarling skills should sign up for Wolf Man), he’s pretty much invisible for everyone else in the world, including, the leggy colleague in a pencil skirt (Deepika Padukone) to whom he’s written a thousand plus unsent drafts of affection. Basically, he is Amol Palekar of Chhoti Si Baat, sans the goofy smile and mysterious past.
Dude seems to be in desperate need of Cinkara (Hamdard ka tonic, anyone?). But this is Farhan’s production. And he’s all about indelible charisma, hip aesthetics and urban wit. While the easygoing charm and wall decor is spot on, absence of crisp humour is conspicuously felt all through its loitering 16 reels
Unlike Luck By Chance or Rock On!!, which saw him play self-assured characters, he is surprisingly believable as a fraught loser as well. He conveys the anxiety, simplicity and frailty of Karthik even when the script isn’t doing it for him. Perhaps it’s his innate filmmaker instinct.
Clearly, Deepika Padukone doesn’t have it. And while she looks every bit of the unattainable dream Karthik envisions her to be, she doesn’t hold a single scene on her own. Whether she’s cautiously lighting a cigarette, robotically slapping the office jerk in Del Italia or scoffing at Karthik’s confessions, all you really see is, well, nothing.
Films like Karthik Calling Karthik are all about winding up right. This one fails to make a connect. Pity, it could have been that all important call you’ve always been waiting for.