If you’re wondering why it’s First Day First Show when it’s not Friday yet, it’s because Vidhi saw the film in Dubai, where it released today. That also means YOU get the review early so you know whether to go catch it tomorrow or not! 🙂

In this short and sweet movie, Akshay Kumar plays Agastya, an enthusiastic young man who works for NASA in the U.S. and is currently building a transceiver for communicating with aliens (No… I’m not kidding). His girlfriend Diva (played by Sonakshi Sinha) receives news from India that Agastya’s father is seriously ill. And so the two of them set off to PAGLAPUR – this crazy, unheard of village in India that is completely disconnected from the other cities and villages. This village comprises of 600 people – each one more ‘pagal’ than the other. 😉

The movie then brings about Agastya’s quest of giving Paglapur a place on the map of India, by concocting a wild plan that includes the media, the people of Pagalpur, and – of course – the aliens. Does Agastya succeed with this idea? Does Paglapur eventually become an official part of India? I’ll leave this review spoiler-free but I can surely give you my thoughts so that you can decide whether to watch it or drop it.

Although the story of Joker is quite unusual and new for the audience, there are some aspects that remind you of other movies. For example, Akshay’s costumes resemble those of Aamir’s in Lagaan, the PJs cracked in the movie reminded me of Hansa from Khichdi, and the gibberish language spoken by Shreyas Talpade’s character prompted me to think about Tusshar Kapoor in Golmaal.

Akshay Kumar was the perfect choice for the role of Agastya. His character grabs your attention the minute he comes on screen and keeps you guessing what his next step in the movie will be.

To the fans of Sonakshi Sinha, prepare to be disappointed yet again! Just like Dabangg and Rowdy Rathore, her role in the movie is limited to dancing in songs, and you can count her dialogues on one hand. I’m still waiting to see Sonakshi in a substantial role, showing off her full acting potential.

Verdict:

Joker doesn’t have the usual soppy romance nor does it have the vehemence of intense fighting scenes. But it has a well-structured storyline, a really good supporting cast, a foot-tapping item song with all the jhatkas and matkas by Chitrangda Singh, and some great scenes that will make you laugh out loud. All in all, I would just like to say that it’s a breath of fresh air and worth a watch. You won’t be disappointed. (3/5 stars.)