102 Not Out

102 Not Out" is not just a film; it's a comic manual on how to live life to its fullest, no matter your age. It's like a giant scoop of your favorite ice cream topped with silly sprinkles and a cherry of wisdom. Imagine a 102-year-old man who is not just alive but kicking, dancing, and playing pranks like he's discovered the fountain of youth. Amitabh Bachchan, as Dattatraya Vakharia, is the world's oldest teenager. He's got more energy than a toddler on a sugar rush and more life goals than your overly ambitious college friend. On the flip side, we have Rishi Kapoor as Babulal Vakharia, Dattatraya's 75-year-old son, who is more of a grumpy cat in human form. If stress and worry were Olympic sports, Babulal would have all the gold medals. His idea of fun is probably rearranging his spice rack alphabetically. Grab your popcorn and prepare to laugh, cry, and possibly rethink your retirement plans. If your grandpa is cooler than you, don't be surprised – he's probably been taking notes from Dattatraya Vakharia. 🍿🎬

Good fun and surprisingly nails the sweetness too. '102 Not Out' is a film that I had a pleasant time with. Amitabh Bachchan and Rishi Kapoor are terrific in this release, with those two making for an entertaining double act. Jimit Trivedi and Vijay Raaz are solid too, albeit in much more minor roles. I wouldn't say anything comedically made me laugh, though the humour is still one of the film's main positives. It, in fact, holds its own when it comes to the more sombre bits, which are put together almost perfectly. I thought it would stray into cringe/cheese territory at some point, but this flick never does... it actually comes across impressively well. The music is also pretty good, I particularly enjoyed "Bachche Ki Jaan" - even though it does sound out of place here and there, yet again finds a way to work. "Badumbaaa" makes for a decent outro piece, shame about the (minor, in how often its seen - editor had a conscience?) use of blackface for the music video though - not that it was ever fine, but in 2018? Come on... Overall, this did indeed surprise me. Hearty.