155. Selfiee; movie review

 

SELFIEE

Cert 12A

148 mins

BBFC advice: Contains infrequent moderate violence, threat, injury detail

If a movie isn't that good in the first place, why bother remaking it?

I wrestled with this question as I watched Akshay Kumar battle with Emraan Hashmi in Selfiee - the Hindi version of Malayalam picture Driving Licence.

Sadly, it has even more flaws than the original, has been panned by the critics and absolutely bombed at the box office.

Intriguingly, Kumar, whom I like as an actor, gives a rather clumsy introduction and explanation ahead of the film on Disney+ Hotstar. It really doesn't help.

He plays a Bollywood superstar who attracts thousands of fans wherever he goes and they include a driving test supervisor (Hashmi) and his son.

They are beside themselves when he comes to Bhopal and turn up to his shoot in the hope of a selfie with their hero.

The opportunity presents itself the next day when it transpires that the actor's driving licence is lost and he only has a very small window to finish his work before flying to America with his wife (Diana Penty) for a surrogate birth.

However, the simple task of collecting the licence and having a selfie with the supervisor sparks a series of misunderstandings and a very public verbal spat.

The problems with Raj Mehta's film begin with the plot. When it becomes a national issue over the superstar's driving licence, why doesn't he just say he already has one?

Indeed, when journalists become excited about the story, why doesn't their basic research reveal it?

Regardless, the actor is pushed into a corner so far that he agrees to take new theory and practical tests.

Thus, in a blaze of publicity, the questioner and candidate face each other for the written and driving exams.

None of it makes much sense and neither character is appealing enough to root for. Then it all fizzles out with an ending which is too easy to be true.

Its terrible box office performance is understandable.

Reasons to watch: High Bollywood production values

Reasons to avoid: Plot just doesn't make much sense

Laughs: None

Jumps: None

Vomit: None

Nudity: None

Overall rating: 4/10

Did you know? Six out of every 10 people with a driving licence in India never actually sat behind a wheel to get it, according to a sample survey done across 10 cities in 2017.

The final word.  Raj Mehta: "Akshay sir is a gem of a person to work with. It's a dream come true for any director. I respect the dedication and discipline he brings on set." Film Companion

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