Chargesheet: Whodunit, why done it!

Chargesheet
U/A; Drama, Suspense
Dir: Dev Anand
Cast: Dev Anand, Naseeruddin Shah, Jackie Shroff, Milind Gunaji, Divya Dutta, Yashpal Sharma
Rating: 'u00a0 (out of 5)u00a0

A Ms Cleavage 1 (there's another one later) croons in the opening sequences: Yeh Bollywoodu00a0-- Nasha Aisa Hai Yeh, Jo Har Nashe Se Hai Bhadh Ke! What possesses a living legend, revered by generations for his films and music, into making a Chargesheet? Blame it on this nasha for making movies even in his '80s as producer, writer, director and actor. What happens, though, when this intoxication induces a sense of despair instead of leading to a state of euphoria? It's sheer frustration all the way.

Dev Anand takes on the subjects of the underworld, film financing and casting couch and weaves it around a murder tale (supposedly based on the mysterious death of late Bollywood actress Divya Bharati). But there is nothing in it even for a nanosecond that adds to this whodunit. Both the character actors as well as the newcomers in the film are a sorry apology. Surely the former lot, especially Shah, must be cringing to see themselves on the screen.

There's a Dubai-based Sultan Bhai (Shah) who plays godfather to Ms Cleavage 1, a wannabe desperate to be Bollywood's top star. It takes Sultan only a phone call to land her a role in the biggest production ever with the industry's biggest hero. But it offends the reigning actress Mini (Dutta) who is willing to go to any lengths to be part of the project, but at the cost of her life. Meanwhile, at the movie's shoot at a hill station, another Ms Cleavage 2 pops up who also wants to be the Heroine No 1. It's a Ms Cleavage 1 v/s Ms Cleavage 2 as the camera keeps meandering over their body contours. That is, of course, when the former top cop (Dev Anand) is not at work cracking the murder clues.

Dev Anand borrows heavily from real-life incidents. Like Mallika Sherawat's past, the character of Mini is actually Reema (same as Mallika's real name!), a married woman with a kid, who disowns her hubby and kid for her starry trek. However the story line, dialogues and the film's pace are even more hazardous than the saas-bahu sagas on the idiot box.

Riya Sen, who features in the film's posters and credits, only appears in one song, that too, sharing space with Ms Cleavage I. After that she disappears. There's also politician Amar Singh (in pink shades!) doing a cameo as a minister calling up all the higher-ups. Ironically, he finds himself chargesheeted in real life now.

The one star is only for Devsaab, an actor everyone prefers to remember from his magical hummable heydays.