COCKTAIL - It impressively begins with an imported Gin but then starts serving a Desi Daru resulting in a mess. (Review by Bobby Sing)

COCKTAIL as the name suggests is a perfect example of the chaotic formula usually followed in our Hindi Films. Chaotic, because they often make a mess out of a film which in reality could have been a great entertainer for all the young at heart. In fact it has now become a routine to see new big banner films with a great star-cast, starting off brilliantly in their first half and then crashing down miserably in the second as if the makers had lost their interest in its making.

Unfortunately COCKTAIL also falls in the same category of films which successfully manage to impress the viewer before the intermission but then suddenly become tough to handle in their second half since they have nothing new to offer in terms of content or storyline. Now in case of COCKTAIL, no doubt the viewer already knew that its going to be the same love triangle as visible in its promos but still the treatment looked fresh and interesting with some good songs. So the excitement level was there which really gets served well in its first 90 minutes. But then what happens to the entire narration, writing, direction and acting in its later reels forces you to think that,

“If the viewers can see this huge negative difference in the two halves of a movie then why the writers cannot see the same while writing it or why the director cannot see it while directing it or why the actors cannot see it while enacting it or why the consultants cannot report the same while watching the rushes of the movie while its being shot?”

Putting it differently, COCKTAIL is quite similar to the pouring of beer which excites you well with its energetic sound, bubbles and smell while its filling up the glass. But if you keep the same beer for a while then it just becomes useless losing all its charm, energy & taste representing the second half of the movie. Such is a contrast in its two halves that it further raises two questions that Whether there happened to be any problem in its making leading to this mess and Whether this was the exact movie, director wished to make in his mind or not?

Personally, I enjoyed watching both its performances and the treatment given to its predictable storyline before the intermission. But post that, the same narration turns so routine that it becomes really hard to even bear it for another hour or so. Also the writers remain pretty confused about how to portray their characters on the screen in moral terms. For instance, I kept thinking that How they really wanted to show Deepika’s character as? Was she a drug addict, a freedom loving person believing in free sex (sleeping with everyone) or just believed in being available?….Who was she as a person really? In the similar manner, the script is also never interested in talking about the character of Randeep Hooda, in the role of a cunning husband.

In the music department, though the songs sound great as a soundtrack but they do hinder the pace of the movie adding to its extra length. Pritam also borrows two hit Punjabi tracks from Pakistan's Arif Lohar (Jugni -Coke Studio fame) and Punjab's Honey Singh-Gippy Grewal (Angrezi Beat), may be since he is now working with Honey in his future projects too (probably RACE 2). Background music by Salim Suleman is cool working well in its romantic scenes and Cinematography surely adds to the exciting look of the movie in great terms. But writing about the technical aspects of the film would remain incomplete here if I do not mention the styling or fashion part of the movie deserving full marks for its appealing outfits.

Performance wise COCKTAIL is unarguably a Ladies film from start to finish with Deepika taking a small lead from Diana due to her bindas portrayal and skin show. She looks sizzling hot, comes straight out of her shell and delivers the best performance of her career till date. Diana Penty as the calm girl supporting Deepika, makes a highly impressive debut which is sure going to be noticed by the Industry. She really looks beautiful & elegant in all the Indian outfits and brings a special kind of innocence to his character deserving praises. Dimple Kapadia is truly lovable as Saif’s mother and one enjoys her scenes a lot in particular.

Talking about men, the film has a half hearted kind of performance by one of its producers, Saif Ali Khan. May be because he has done these kind of flirting roles many times before which have now lost the pull. Though Saif is not bad but he really is not there in his full spirits. Boman Irani shines in his few scenes and Randeep Hooda is treated like a forgotten character by the writers.

As a director, Homi Adajania who earlier gave us BEING CYRUS is in his full form in the first half of the film. But what actually happened in the second?....is a question which only he can answer the best. COCKTAIL does have traces of Woody Allen’s VICKY CRISTINA BARCELONA in its initial reels but then it quickly falls off from the height and gets into the same old routine Indian emotional plot of a love triangle and its sacrifice.

In short, the film can easily be compared to a COCKTAIL party in which you are first served with an imported Gin and then later on the bar-tenders start pouring some Desi Daru into your glasses openly. On a serious note, its really sad that they really ruined a potential sparkling film just like that.

Rating : 2 / 5 (With a special mention for the performances of Deepika & Diana)