Reviewer's Summary - Average
Language: Hindi
Year: 2006
Actors: Nana Patekar, John Abraham, Sameera Reddy, Sonali Kulkarni, Shivaji Satam
Director: Milan Luthria
Producer : Ramesh Sippy
Story : Rajat Arora
Music: Vishal-Shekar
Lyrics : Devi Kohli & Vishal Dadlani
Taxi No. 9211 is different from the usual Bollywood baloney.
While its unusual story line is a positive, there are not many other pluses in this average film.
One morning, the paths of a rich wastrel Jai Mittal (John Abraham) and cab driver Raghav Shastri a.k.a Raghu (Nana Patekar) intersect on a Mumbai street setting in motion a train of events with life-altering consequences for both.
Jai is on his way to the court to contest his father's will while the stressed out Raghav, who has lied to his wife that he's an insurance salesman, is desperately striving to keep his head above water. Frantic to reach the court, Jai orders Raghav to step on the gas, which he does when his passenger throws a lot of money at him.
Inevitably, there is an accident. Jai vanishes leaving Raghav to contend with a damaged taxi and the wrath of the police. But as Jai reaches the safe deposit vault to collect his father's old will before heading to the court, he realizes the vault key has fallen in the taxi.
Jai must have the key at any cost but an incensed Raghav won't give it to him triggering a huge confrontation between the two that takes up much of the screen time.
Such is the intensity of their anger that each tries to kill the other. Jai pushes Raghav's taxi in the path of a local train while Raghav removes the bolts from Jai's car wheels.
Nana Patekar, well regarded for his acting skills in Bollywood where tromping up and down passes for acting, does not rise to his usual great heights here. In fact, John Abraham does a better job overall.
As Jai's girl friend Rupali, Sameera Reddy fails to set the screen afire or send our adrenalin rushing despite her skimpy attire. In scenes where Rupali wears a short skirt her thighs have an eerie resemblance to the legs of a calf elephant.
Sonali Kulkarni as Raghav's harried wife delivers a fine performance. Frustrated with Raghav's inability to get along with the world and shattered by his lies about being an insurance salesman, she takes the bold decision to leave her husband.
Although fairly fast-paced for a Bollywood flick, Taxi No. 9211 is just not gripping enough. After the first 20 minutes or so, the story - offbeat as it is - has difficulty holding up.
The songs are average. No way are any of them going to make a lasting impact.
Unlike most Bollywood directors, who invariably skip town for foreign locations, Milan Luthria has shot
Taxi No. 9211 completely in Mumbai. - Copyright Rekha Inc.
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