After giving us comedy masterpieces like Go Goa Gone, Golmaal Again and more, Kunal Kemmu decided to go behind the cameras to bring us Madgaon Express. Starring Mirzapur fame Divyenndu, Scam 1992’s Pratik Gandhi and Laila Majnu actor Avinash Tiwary, the comedy-drama film hit the screens on March 22, 2024. It also features actors like Nora Fatehi, Upendra Limaye and Chhaya Kadam in supporting roles. As seen in the trailer, Madgaon Express appears to be a Dil Chahta Hai gone wrong film. But like in real life, any situation is comical with best friends. Kunal Kemmu made the best decision by putting on his director hat while producers Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani did their job right by trusting him.
Madgaon Express follows the story of three friends Divyenndu, Pratik Gandhi and Avinash Tiwary who embark on a journey to Goa. Instead of—in the words of Divyenndu— Babes in bikinis, parties and beer, the trio ends up getting accidentally involved with police and drug gangsters. This ensues a chaotic ride of the trio trying to get out of Goa.
Right off the bat, Madgaon Express sets its comical tone by exploring Divyenndu’s character. He was evidently the pilot of this hilarious trainwreck. With his comic timing paired with his one-liners, the actor skillfully steered the wheel in every funny way possible. His reactions were so epic that even some of the subpar jokes had us laughing our heads off.
Scam fame Pratik Gandhi took all my preconceived notions about him and threw them out of the running train. The actor was so effortlessly comical that even in scenes where he didn’t have any dialogue, he managed to make me laugh out of my seat. One can never imagine the Harshad Mehta actor to have such diverse expressions. It really goes to show his versatility. Kudos to Kunal Kemmu for taking a chance on him. Divyenndu might have steered the train but Pratik Gandhi stole the show.
Avinash Tiwary, albeit not the funniest character in Madgaon Express, did complete justice to the material of his character. He remained consistent throughout the film and even stole the show in several times. His character struck a balance between Pratik and Divyenndu’s dynamic roles.
Upendra Limaye, one of the biggest stars of the Marathi cinema, knows how to command his presence and steal the spotlight in every scene. His dialogue delivery is top-notch with unmatchable comic timing. From Upendra to Chhaya Kadam, every supporting actor was given enough material to make the character stand out. Remo D’Souza, who unexpectedly appeared on the screen, also fit right into the comical journey. And why was he kinda….hot?
One of the best things about Madgaon Express was that all the characters remained consistent throughout its lengthy runtime. Having said that, the three main leads also had solid character development towards the end. The twists and turns weren’t dramatic but the way every actor, including supporting actors with no dialogues, executed the scenes was the epitome of over-the-top slapstick comedy.
The way Madgaon Express was executed from start to finish, it was evident that Kunal Kemmu had a clear vision and concept in his mind about the film. There were no inconsistencies in the narrative and the pace suited the chaotic plot. The film looked professionally executed by staying true to the well-developed script.
Kunal Kemmu really pulled on all the stops to make his directorial debut a huge success. Hopefully, his skills as a writer and a director in Bollywood won’t go unnoticed. So that we’d get more refreshing comedy dramas like Madgaon Express. You’ll find yourself laughing, cheering, hooting and even bobbing your heads to the catchy BGM, but you’ll never find yourself bored in this lengthy yet hilarious journey to Goa.
Verdict:
Would I watch this movie with my parents? Probably not. Would I watch it with my cousins or with my friends group? Hell yes. Would I be bored in the lengthy runtime of Madgaon Express? Arguably, no. Is Madgaon Express worth my money? Absolutely!
Cover Image: Sourced
