I didn’t know I was in for such a delightful treat, when I came in to watch Bombay to Bangkok. I came in skeptical, sure to be disappointed, and groaning every five or so minutes, even though I was fully aware that this was a Nagesh Kukunoor movie, and had Shreyas Talpade in the lead. But the main reason to watch the movie was the Thai chick, since I have a soft corner for them, and I am generally inclined that way. Not that I had any expectations from her, but she sure is very easy on the eyes. Plus, Talpade had disappointed me in Dil Dosti Etc, and I wanted him to better himself this time. He did.

Bombay to Bangkok is a charmer, thorough and through. There was not a dull moment from the first frame to the last, surprisingly; and even the ending was not a disappointment. Sure, it was nothing that I had never seen before, and the style of storytelling is not new either, it still tickled my funny bone anyway. What makes this movie stand out are the many wacky characters and the characterization. Such movies don’t come often, and we need more movies like these, it’s healthy.

The story is pretty much straightforward. Shreyas Talpade is a cook in a small time restaurant, who wants to get rich quick. One day, a forgetful gangster leaves a bag full of dollar bills, and Shankar (Shreyas Talpade, very good) jumps at the opportunity and runs with the money. He has plans to go to Dubai, but since the money belonged to the biggest don, goons are after his life. The gangster’s son JamK, a.k.a. Jamal Khan (Vijay Maurya, the same guy who played Dawood Ibrahim in Black Friday is an absolute delght to watch!) is given the task to find Shankar, and recover the money. But Jam K is a wannabe rapper, and hates the gangster’s way.

Circumstances land Shankar in Bangkok, and this adventure begins.

I refuse to reveal the rest of the story, since this movie is a treat, as I said before. I would rather introduce the characters to you:

Shreyas Talpade/Shankar Singh: He is back in his element, and such roles suit him well, because this boyo has a disarming smile. He immediately gets in the character, and does a wonderful job of it. I didn’t like him much in Iqbal (since I didn’t like the movie much, overall), but he somewhat repeats his performance from Dor. I just hope he does more of such roles.

Lina Christianson/Jasmine: As I said before, I am partial to girls with squinty eyes, straight hair, and marvelous skin. This girl is a natural charmer, and does not try to be a smartass, as most of the foreign chicks in Hindi movies do. The fact that she is pretty helps as well. Though I doubt that I will ever see her again in any movie.

Vijay Maurya/JamK/Jamal Khan: The movie largely belongs to him, even though his character has all of maybe 15 minutes of screen time. This guy is a show stealer! His attempts at rapping, as well as his attire, are ridiculously funny, and he does an absolutely brilliant job of making his character come alive. It’s unbelievable that the same guy, who played the grouchy and menacing Dawood Ibrahim, can do this. I have seen him in bit roles in many movies, and am surprised at the fact that he is not cast more.

Rash/Manmeet Singh: He is the cutest sardarji in movies! You have seen him in bit roles in many movies, and he is ALWAYS so cute!

The rest of the cast as well, is well chosen, and they don’t disappoint. The direction is taut throughout the movie, there is not one weak moment, and there is attention to detail - largely. Yes, they could have done away with the songs, since they don’t add anything to the story, and are nothing to write home about. The cinematography is the same as in all Kukunoor movies – clean.

So yes, do go watch it, it might not remain in cinemas for a long time, since the comedy tends to get intelligent at times, and we all know what happens when that happens. Remember Mumbai Express?