Cyrus Broacha's comedy disappoints in Fruit and Nut

Offbeat, I am afraid, is a rather tricky term.

In the domain of low-budget cinema, its definition ranges from meaningful, ironic and abstract to silly, obnoxious and uninspiring. But clever filmmaking, as witnessed through films like Khosla Ka Ghosla [ Images ] and Bheja Fry, isn't restricted to a mere budget. Either the script has it or it doesn't.

In the case of director Kunal Vijaykar's debut comedy, Fruit and Nut, it doesn't. If the wishy-washy caper's intent is to draw your attention towards its minutely mocking tone and decipher its slow satire, it fails miserably, chiefly because almost all its characters appear to have escaped a bizarre complex of an imaginary zombie planet. They don't look from this world. They don't dress like this world. They certainly don't talk like this world.

Here's how: So there's a guy named Jolly Maker (Cyrus Broacha [ Images ]). Jolly Maker! Yeah, that's funny. Have your sides split yet? Haven't budged even, right? He ties his shoelaces all wrong and trips on his feet. Does that amuse you? He walks into clear day with his umbrella open confusing his neighbour's plant-watering session to be a rain shower. Those smiley-faced weapons out yet?

He bumps into his dream girl escape a kidnap with her limbs tied and mouth taped but is too much of a fool to help her out. Ha ha? He swabs the boss's office floor by rubbing himself onto it, dressed in nothing other than his undergarments. Surely Cyrus can do better than this.

The comedian's superb timing and trademark repartee is wasted in an under-written role that requires the viewer to feel sorry for an entertainer known to have made a name laughing at himself.

'I am thankful to Paresh Rawal'

Boman Irani has turned in one brilliant performance after another. And his characters have been quite peculiar as well. From his earlier films like Darna Mana Hai, Munnabhai series and Main Hoon Na to this Friday's release, Fruit n Nut, Boman seems to know how to entertain.

Sitting in front of him for this interview, I found Boman to be quite the gentleman to talk to as well. In his friendly manner, Boman shared his nutty experiences on the sets of Fruit n Nut with Nithya Ramani.

The film incidentally, is Kunal Vijaykar's directorial debut, and also stars Cyrus Broacha, Dia Mirza and Mahesh Manjrekar.

What is Fruit n Nut about?

It is impossible to describe the film and even more impossible to act in it! The film is about four characters, whose stories run parallel.

I play an old man, who thinks he's the Maharaja of Bombay, and wants his land back. He is whimsical and doesn't know what he is saying. It was very confusing to act like a terrorist. He calls for two terrorists to knock off Cyrus (Broacha).

We have made a film that we enjoyed and want people to enjoy it too.


Image: A scene from Fruit n Nut