My Name Is Anthony Gonsalves movie review

By Shambhu Sahu

Film: My Name Is Anthony Gonsalves
Director: E Niwas
Cast: Nikhil Dwivedi, Amrita Rao, Lillete Dubey, Anupam Kher, Pavan Malhotra, others.

'My Name Is Anthony Gonsalves' is about a struggling hero Anthony Gonsalves (Nikhil Dwivedi), an orphan, who dreams of stardom all the time and sings duets with his girlfriend in his spare time. But besides dreaming and serving liquor at a bar, there should be something that the debutante actor should do in order to be projected as the hero in the film?

So this tapori wannabe's life is woven around an underworld gang (quite clichéd) which provides score for truth, conscience and of course some 'dishum dishum' (action).

As he thinks his life is set, there comes a twist. The actor is caught in a situation where he has to defend an underworld don (Pawan Malhotra ) who brought this orphan and made him a good human being despite being a criminal himself.

Thanks to the trouble-at-home, his much-awaited debut in Hollywood-produced Hindi film stalled, for the time being. The second half is all about how he gets over the odds and emerges as a winner in the end.

The film, made in a comedy/romance genre has a very slow narration especially in the first half, which basically deals with the hero's bindaas and dreamy tapori life. But Arshad Warsi - since his maiden film 'Tere Mere Sapne' to the latest 'Munnabhai MBBS' and 'Lage Raho Munnabhai' - has entertained us through his 'taporigiri' so much that Anthony seems to be lacking somewhere.

Amrita Rao looks hot in the film but is almost wasted, as there isn't much for her to do considering her role. Actors like Anupam Kher and Vidya Shankar Paandey's potential remains unused while Pakistani actor Javed Sheikh and Pawan Malhotra are comparatively better.

Though even Mithun Chakravorty, who plays a pop (Father) of a local church, is controlled throughout the film but steals the show in a few scenes.

As far as director E Niwas is concerned, all those who know that he directed 'Shool' (and many actually do), keep waiting for the narration and story to get better since it starts. But the film fails in entertaining, primarily because of its script, which offers nothing new.

But there are a few impressive moments like top don Anupam Kher singing songs as per the situation or one where Pavan tells his mentor Anupam that he brought Anthony to make him a 'achcha insaan' (good human being). As far as his attempting comedy and romance genre is concerned, Niwas's 'Love Ke Liye Kuch Bhi Karega' was comparatively better.

Watch if for: Mithun's last five minutes show stealing act, and...!