- By Sukanya Saha
- Fri, 17 Mar 2023 01:24 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
A wealthy young man falls in love with a woman who then seeks to win the approval of her father. However, the father is fixated on ancestry and demands that the man trace his own lineage, as he may have multiple fathers. The show follows whether the man is successful in finding his biological "pop" or if it becomes a confusing and frustrating experience for the audience.
Plot:
The show revolves around a man's quest to locate his biological father, prompted by his girlfriend's father's belief that a person's true identity is determined by their father. The man initially believes Brig Kishore (played by Johnny Lever) to be his father, but eventually discovers that Sultan Qureshi is his biological father, prompting him to adopt a Muslim identity, changing his name from Sahil to Sadiq and adopting traditional Muslim attire. However, he later learns that Sultan is not his father after all, but rather a man named Kartar Singh (Satish Kaushik). He then, adopts a Sikh identity, changing his name to Sukhwinder Singh. However, the story does not conclude here! He later learns that Anthony Gonsalves (Chunky Panday) is his biological father, and then adopts a Christian identity and wears a rosary.
Cast:
Helmed by Farhad Samji, the series features an impressive ensemble cast that includes Kunal Kemmu, Satish Kaushik, Saurabh Shukla, Johnny Lever, Rajpal Yadav, Chunky Panday, and Ashwini Kalsekar, all of whom can evoke laughter from the audience. Despite this, Pop Kaun is not a comedic film.
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Kunal Kemmu is a dedicated actor who deserves better roles. He demonstrated his talent in the unsuccessful film Kalank, where he still managed to stand out. However, this new project might not showcase his potential, and it could be another poor decision in his career. On the other hand, Nupur Sanon's character is merely a motivator and falls into the stereotypical "dumb woman" archetype that is often present in Farhad Samji's films.
Pop Kaun marks Nupur Sanon acting debut. Although she puts forth a considerable effort to appear convincing in her role, her acting skills fail to impress the audience. She must focus on improving her craft.
Satish Kaushik, who passed away on March 9 due to a heart attack, was adorable in his portrayal of Kartar Singh, bringing an infectious sense of innocence and enthusiasm to the character. His performance was memorable and he will be missed on screen forever.
Saurabh Shukla's performance in the film was so natural. His talent shines through in his role. However, Jamie Lever's character appeared pointless and did not add any value to the movie. She seemed to be nothing more than an extra, and her talent was wasted.
Johnny Lever's performance was exceptional, and Rajpal Yadav was also extraordinary in the film. Rajpal's facial expressions and comedic timing were spot-on and impressive.
What works for the series?
Fortunately, Farhad Samji has decided to create only six episodes with a reasonable runtime, which means we won't have to spend too much time on his content.
What doesn't work?
The comedy genre in Hindi cinema has been overlooked for far too long and has not received the respect it deserves. Classic filmmakers like Basu Bhattacharya, Rajkumar Hirani and Priyadarshan have created memorable characters that continue to make us laugh even after the 10th watch. However, Farhad Samji's filmography is a prime example of what the genre should not be.
Farhad Samji, along with his long-time collaborators Tasha Bhambra and Sparsh Khetarpal, wrote the show, and it seems that almost every other line in the series is a recycled SMS forward that would have annoyed people back in 2013. It's now 2023, and the humour is outdated.
Now, it's time to address something we were hesitant to mention earlier. Farhad Samji is set to direct Hera Pheri 3. If this is Samji's way of preparing us to have low expectations, then perhaps it's best to pretend it never happened!
Final verdict:
This series might make you regret your decision to watch it, yet at the same time, it may make you laugh at the thought that someone invested their money in it.