French Biriyani (2020) Kannada (Amazon Prime), Movie Review.
A comedy of errors that is very aware of itself and packed with jokes galore.
Simon (Sal Yusuf) is a French National who comes to Bangalore to attend a conference, but due to a strike he couldn't find his pickup guy, and instead is picked up by Suleiman (Pitobash Tripathy) who mistakes him as a smuggler bringing goods for his Don Muscle Mani (Mahantesh Hiremath). When Suleiman's car is stopped by strikers, Simon gets out and takes the auto of Ashgar (Danish Sait). Then follows a crazy journey, as both Gangsters and Police chases Simon and Ashgar.
The movie is filled with good jokes and punchlines and some of them are bound to make you go ROFL and some are very subtle and highly aware of what's going on in the country. The "racist" joke (pun!) in the police station between Simon and the Inspector is absolutely hilarious, the scene where the cow eats up Simon's mobile and everyone offers suggestions is very witty and deftly done. A crazy man in lock up imagines himself as a Great Magician is humorous, insightful and serendipitous. The movie is so self aware that the climax takes place in a theater named Climax Theatre.
Acting honours definitely go to Danish and Mahantesh. The director did a good job of tying up all the sub-plots and providing a neat finish. The cinematography is adequate and this is the first Bengaluru movie I saw where the IT parks were not shown while capturing the rustle and bustle of the Garden City very nicely, a commendable job. The music is very experimental but the songs do not interrupt the proceedings.
The long gaps between the gags sometimes frustrates and the editing could have been tighter. The background noise was unnecessarily high at times.
Overall a funny experimental comedy that laughs at itself and the society that is worth watching.
