MADGAON EXPRESS- A Movie Review

Madgaon Express – a famous train but now a famous movie as well, has caught everyone’s attention. This family entertainer doesn’t have a single dull moment. Directed by Kunal Khemu, a well-known actor, who stepped into a directorial and writing role for the first time, this movie was inspired by Dil Chahta Hai, a cult classic based on three friends. Who didn’t want to go to Goa with their friends after watching that movie to recreate those memories?

The story revolves around Divyendu Sharma: (Dodo) A carefree guy or in other words ek number Bhidu bole toh Bindass, a true adventurous and the life of the group. Pratik Gandhi: (Pinku) Smart, Mumma’s boy, Daarpoke and a walking Chemist, Avinash Tiwary: (Ayush Gupta) Charming, tall and dashing.  The three friends are eager to recreate these Dil Chahta Hai moments and have been planning a trip to Goa since school but just like every Goa trip in real life, it gets cancelled at the last minute. The pure innocence of planning it year after year continues, but the trip just doesn’t get converted from chats to reality and the trip keeps getting called off every single time. Despite this Dodo retains his passion and excitement to explore Goa.

As the years go by, the 3 friends go separate ways. Pinku shifts to Australia and works in his family business after finishing his MBA, Ayush goes to the USA and finishes his education and starts working. However, Dodo, a middle-class boy, remains to live in Aamchi Mumbai and does various odd jobs like a delivery boy.

Unhappy and embarrassed with his current situation Dodo falls prey to the social media world, where reel is more important than what is real. With the help of photoshop and social media Dodo hides his real self-trying to show made up versions of himself to brag in front of the 2 friends he dearly misses.

As days go by and the lies get bigger and bigger to a point where there is no going back to reality, his friends, Pinku and Ayush decide to make a short trip to Mumbai and the Trio reunites. Dodo is extremely happy and excited to meet the two of them but at the same time he had a lie to live up to. Everything he has built online soon starts coming to an end, his reel world slowly fading as the real world begins to take over. At that very moment Dodo realizes he could finally plan a trip to Goa with his friends, something he was eagerly waiting for since his school days. His friends might have moved on from the planning and cancelling phase but Dodo knew it would work out this time.

Ayush and Pinku fooled by Dodo’s reel world thought he would pick them up in his BMW with his driver, pictured they would stay in his penthouse, go to a fancy restaurant and live in luxury little do they know, Dodo has none of the above, he arrives to the airport in a Kali Peeli, he has no fancy house or fancy restaurants to take them too. All Dodo has is a plan to go to Goa.

Ayush and Pinku agree to go to Goa after a little hesitation. They think they’ll at least go to Goa in luxury and live there comfortably but once again Dodo has other plans. He takes them to Goa by the one and only Madgaon Express and picks a lottery ticket on the way. Ayush and Pinku are nothing but shocked and irritated. They want to travel comfortably and every time Dodo picks such situations, they crib to which he ends up saying “Come on guys, going abroad you all have forgotten what life has been like here, we have been planning to go since school, if we were in school right now would we travel by plane?”

Now like I mentioned earlier this movie is a pure family entertainer, it’s a rib-tickler throughout. Yes, you will cry too, par pagle woh toh khushi ke Aasu honge. One of the most memorable scenes is when Dodo convinces his friends to travel by Madgaon Express because he has no money for a plane ticket and starts marketing the train stating that, “Mumbai to Goa via Madgaon Express has got one of the most scenic views in the world.” And as he says that, did I mention about a miracle taking place? Yes, the miracle is the people on the crowded station staying calm and patiently waiting for Dodo to finish what he is saying, a sight which seems impossible to the eyes of a Mumbaikar!! As soon as Dodo says that, Pinku replies “Raat ke andhere mein scenic view, tunnel ke andar Torch jala ke dikaiga kya?” That line got everyone in the theatre including me burst into peals of laughter.

As soon as they set foot onto Madgaon Express nothing remains as planned, things go up and down, various situations arise, like drugs, blackmailing, guns, police, Goa ka Crime Master Gogo Mendoza and Goa ki Lakshmi Bai Kanchan Kombdi but these three friends stick together throughout. Yes, they do fight, but only get closer than before and also grow as individuals.

Now I can go on and on about this comic masterpiece but, it’s an experience worth viewing on the big screen, so go ahead and witness the madness that takes place as they board onto MADGAON EXPRESS.