Rajat Kapoor's body of work, as an actor and director, includes several significant films. Especially those directed by him. The talented raconteur has the ability to choose an out of the box story and make it work. But FATSO does not match up to the lofty standards that he has set. Actually, FATSO had the potential to reach the winning post, but the mediocre writing acts as a deterrent.
As a result of a celestial gaffe, a guy is killed earlier than his time on Earth has ended. In the heavens, the guy is bestowed with an additional opportunity to prolong his existence on earth, although in the body of someone else… Does the narrative echo familiarity? Yes, it's been played around with in many movies. It started with the Hollywood film HERE COMES MR. JORDAN [1941], which was remade as HEAVEN CAN WAIT [1978] and DOWN TO EARTH [2001]. There was a Hindi adaptation as well called JHUK GAYA AASMAN [Rajendra Kumar, Saira Banu; 1967], which is amongst my personal favorites. FATSO is reminiscent of the oh-so-popular story. You could call this semblance a happenstance or an inspiration, whatever you fancy as accurate.
Nandini [Gul Panag] and Navin [Purab Kohli] are about to get married when disaster strikes. Navin and his friends, a hugely overweight Sudeep [Ranvir Shorey] and Yash [Neil Bhoopalam], go out to celebrate. An accident occurs on the highway and Navin is dead. Navin wakes up in heaven and discovers to his horror that it was a clerical error that had landed him in heaven. The man actually destined to be there was the fatso, Sudeep, with his cholesterol on overdrive! Navin makes a scene in the overcrowded waiting room of heaven and demands that he be returned to earth and to his loved ones.
Nandini [Gul Panag] and Navin [Purab Kohli] are about to get married when disaster strikes. Navin and his friends, a hugely overweight Sudeep [Ranvir Shorey] and Yash [Neil Bhoopalam], go out to celebrate. An accident occurs on the highway and Navin is dead. Navin wakes up in heaven and discovers to his horror that it was a clerical error that had landed him in heaven. The man actually destined to be there was the fatso, Sudeep, with his cholesterol on overdrive! Navin makes a scene in the overcrowded waiting room of heaven and demands that he be returned to earth and to his loved ones.
FATSO is about how Navin returns to earth and has to woo Nandini all over again in another guise.
FATSO has a winning beginning, but it tapers as it moves towards the middle and concluding act. While the plot had the potential to develop into a captivating experience, it loses focus midway and more so towards the final moments. The impact it ought to create is simply missing. One of the reasons being, why doesn't Ranvir tell Gul the truth about what actually transpired. In fact, the truth remains hidden till the very end; he never tells her. That, in my opinion, is the movie's biggest undoing. Besides, the romance between Ranvir and Gul appears so synthetic. Nonetheless, regardless of the insufficiencies, you have to concur that the film is charismatic, but in petite proportions. The romantic scenes between Gul and Purab are wonderful, while the comic ones are, to some extent, pleasurable.
The film is well shot, while the music doesn't work. The dialogue are real at places.
FATSO packs some notable performances by each and every member of the cast. Ranvir Shorey is endearing and believable in the title role. Gul Panag is first-rate, portraying the gamut of emotions effortlessly. Purab Kohli is effective in a brief, but significant role. Neil Bhoopalam is another actor to watch out for. He's natural to the core. Gunjan Bakshi, as Neil's girlfriend, catches your attention. Brijendra Kala shines in his part. He's fantastic! Yusuf Hussain, as Purab's father, is decent. Vinay Pathak and Saurabh Shukla appear in cameos.
On the whole, FATSO appeals in bits and spurts. It had the potential, but doesn't quite reach there!