Flaws and contrived acting aside, '102 Not Out' is a witty take on old age

What is most striking about the film is its minimal cast, besides being thankfully devoid of any superfluous song sequence

Bollywood is fast accepting the shocking reality that actors age, that there is life beyond colleges and pained stories of young love. and that overage actors need not play teenage college students. There was once a time when Baghban was a lone star in the universe of films depicting senior living. But after Shoojit Sircar’s Piku and Shakun Batra’s Kapoor and Sons, 102 Not Out is a worthy addition to this suddenly robust genre of Hindi cinema.

Starring Amitabh Bachchan as Dattatraya Vakharia and Rishi Kapoor as his son, Babulal Vakharia, Umesh Shukla’s slice-of-life dramedy is a commentary on life, presented in contrast with the reality of death. Kapoor’s character, for instance, is introduced as “woh aadmi jo zindagi aur maut dono se darta hai (the man who is afraid of life and death)”. At 75, Kapoor is a self-proclaimed “buddah (old man)” and Bachchan, at 102, is “26 at heart”. The first 15 minutes set the tone for the rest of the film — an odd father-son relationship that hinges on puns about the mundane realities of old age. Kudos are in order for Saumya Joshi, whose eponymous Gujarati play the film is based on. The idea that an aged father wants to send his ageing son to an old-age home because the younger of the two is too “boring” makes you sit up and take notice.

This first part is also what the trailer encapsulates and it seemed unlikely that the film would be able to sustain its 100-minute screen time on just that. In terms of pace, 102 Not Out does not slow down and neither does it seem stretched. What keeps it going are its dialogues and Kapoor’s acting, where he outshines Bachchan. Babulal’s character is fleshed out better and his clothes are picked out with more care. The half-sleeved linen shirts and comb in shirt pocket go well with his hunched shoulders and cantankerous persona. Bachchan as Dattatray, on the other hand, looks a bit contrived, especially with an all-too-obviously fake beard that seems to complement only his shrill joie de vivre. His Lacoste T-shirt also doesn’t match the HMT watch on his wrist or the general aesthetic of the film.

The film does become exasperatingly melodramatic in the second half, falling prey to the trope of elderly parents being neglected by their children who, in turn, seem to be enjoying a cushy life abroad. A film where mainstream Bollywood actors are playing significantly older characters, a feat in itself, could have broken the mould further and showed senior living independent of its moralistic commentary. Of course, one still waits for the day a female actor can consider a second innings on screen once she crosses 50 with the same ease with which Bachchan and Kapoor have been allowed to.

What is most striking about the film is its minimal cast — all of three main characters — and set design, besides being thankfully devoid of any superfluous song sequences. Jimit Trivedi as Dhiru is a delight and adds fresh flavour to the script. Where the film fails is the Gujarati accent that both Kapoor and Bachchan use only conveniently and inconsistently. The background score is appropriately manipulative, tugging at the heartstrings on cue. 102 Not Out is a clean, uncomplicated film with decent laughs. If you can ignore its flaws, it could make for an entertaining weekend watch with the family.