43. Kaka Ji; movie review

KAKA JI
Cert PG
123 mins
BBFC advice: Contains mild violence, language, drug references

Wednesday evening and I had been in London all day having taken my mum to Prime Minister's Question Time in the House of Commons for her 80th birthday.
Trust me, it was on her bucket list and she enjoyed it.
Indeed, there was more entertainment in the verbal tug of war between Theresa May and Jeremy Corbyn than in this Punjabi action romance which I watched at Vue, Birmingham.
Dev Kharoud, unsually known for kicking ass on the big screen, has to hold back on the fists and feet as his character tries to woo an attractive student (Aaarushi Sharma).
The title character is revered in his village as upstanding and very capable of protecting those who are unable to defend themselves.
He has had many girlfriends but not taken courtship seriously until his head is turned by college girl, Deepi (Aarushi Sharma).
The two meet secretly and are getting along famously until one dreadful misunderstanding spells the potential end of their love match.
Meanwhile, there is a parallel story about a gang of masked men who are carrying out regular raids of nearby homes.
There has been much talk of how director Mandeep Benipal has tried to transform Kharoud into a romantic lead.
However, it ought to be pointed out that Kaka Ji is not exactly devoid are crashing-head moments.
Sadly, however, it is obvious that Kharoud is out of his comfort zone with the main meat of the movie.
Indeed, his scenes with Sharma lack basic spark, typified by a very awkward finale.
The fact is that I watched Kaka Ji only a few days ago and have virtually forgotten it already.
Its strange premise, mixed messaging and odd casting meant that I look back on it only as a movie ticked off rather than an enjoyable experience.

Reasons to watch: Dev Kharoud in an unexpected role
Reasons to avoid: He is very obviously out of his comfort zone

Laughs: None
Jumps: None
Vomit: None
Nudity: None
Overall rating: 3.5/10

Did you know? Dev Kharoud has starred in eight different TV serials in the Punjab

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