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Delayed release, ill-luck and bad-timing can best describe the sorry tale of this Govinda's latest release 'Sandwich'. In Bollywood, late releases have met with disastrous results and the latest example is Salman Khan-Shilpa Shetty starrer 'Shaadi Karke Phaas Gaya Yaar'. The concept, scripting and narration of 'Sandwich' are too stale in the present context. In short, it is collage of Govinda's mindless comical endeavors like 'Coolie No.1', 'Saajan Chale Sasural' and David Dhawan's successful hit 'Bol Radha Bol'. At present when there are plenty of multiplexes with experimental and thought provoking cinema ruling the charts, 'Sandwich' is old wine in old bottle with new label though. It caters to small segment of audiences who have adulated Govinda's slapstick comical adventures but time has changed. Now there is flashy, upbeat cinema with realistic and experimental formulation hitting theatres every week. Govinda's fading box-office charm; low media hype with non-existence of leading lady has decimated the prospects of good opening. Even producers find it difficult to find suitable theatres for this film.

It may be disappointing for the filmmaker that stardom of all the three leading actors - Govinda, Raveena Tandon and Mahima Chaudhry -- has faded out. In recent times, Govinda has string of flops. Besides, he has been accused of alleged underworld links and disastrous failure of his home production 'Sukh'. Raveena Tandon's film career faded into matrimony and she has already bid farewell to commercial mainstream. Finally, Mahima Chaudhry who started off with a bang is reduced to second leads and sleazy roles in B or C grade films. So 'Sandwich' scores minimum with ordinary scripting and forgettable music. No wonder it has bunch of actors who have been once the winning preposition of the film industry but equation has reversed now.

Director Anees Bazmee who struck magnanimous box office success with 'No Entry' is the only prize worthy commodity in the credits of the film. Ironically, the producer and the exhibitor have tried to mention his name in the promotion list. It has no similarity with 'No Entry' and works on David Dhawan's slapstick comical formula. It took three years for the film to release but finally made it this week. It was earlier titled 'Hum Do Hamara Ek' but it was changed to 'Sandwich' to catch audience's attention. Even the changed title will be of little help.

Mistaken identities, confused relationships, forged personalities - all assemble into one comical package. This is the sum up of 'Sandwich'. There was a time when every heroine wanted to get paired with Govinda to rejuvenate her career and this might be the phase when the concept of 'Sandwich' was conceived. But it took many years to reach theatres. Moreover, 'Sandwich' provides minimal moments of laughter and joy and its comical quotient is below par as compared to Govinda's earlier hits. Govinda tries to reinvent his style by mimicking Dharmendra's style of dialogue delivery but irritates. How ca an established actor like Govinda behave like a mimicry artiste? He rehashes all his previous performances with predicted plots with soulless music. Even the heroines are weary and their outdated looks decimate its style and glamour quotient. If the first half of the film is inspired from films like 'Golmal' (old), 'Coolie No.1' and 'Saajan Chale Saural', then the second half gets the skin and soul from 'Bol Radha Bol'.

'Sandwich' starts off with a small village boy's dreams finding way in a big city. Sheer Singh alias Shepherd (Govinda) has his family roots in Punjab as he enacts the role of a 'Punjabi' settled in a small village of Punjab. He has fortune in Mumbai with leading car showroom as a salesman but nurses the ambition of a Bollywood script writer. He is hired by filmmaker Chelaramani (Satish Shah). The ambitious yet honest Shekhar has the backdrop of peaceful life with his mother and a handicapped sister. Nisha (Raveena Tandon), rich spoilt brat is "head over heels" in love with Shekhar, much against the consent of her father. In the meanwhile Shekhar gets an urgent call from her mother to return to village, and finds that his handicapped sister is getting married to the village zamindar's son. The marriage is proposed on the condition that Shekhar will marry Zamindar's bubbly and chirpy daughter Sweety (Mahima Chaudhry). Shekhar sacrifices his love and marries Sweety. In Mumbai the scenario is completely different as Nisha is forced to marry Vicky (Raj Zutshi), the son of her father's friend. Nisha revolts violently and threatens to commit suicide on her wedding day. Shekhar arrives at the scene to settle the matter but succumbs to Nisha's threatening call. Finally, Shekhar is forced to marry Nisha and this disturbs Vicky. Vicky tries to avenge this by killing Nisha's father. Shekhar becomes the managing director of Nisha's firm but his life is turned upside down. Shekhar's life is torn between his two wives and then his two lovely sons. After seven years, Sweety along with Shekhar's mother (Reema Lagoo) plans to settle in Mumbai. This makes Shekhar's life even more miserable. But, he manages a separate accommodation for Sweety. Shekhar's two naughty sons -- Tuk Tuk and Tony (Master Sagar and Master Siddarth) -- get suspicious about him. The two whiz kids discover that they have one father but fail to prove it to their mothers - Nisha and Sweety. Destiny takes a wild turn when Shekhar's suspicious behavior catches the attention of his two wives. Shekhar is shocked to find that there is another Shekhar (Govinda in double role) in his house. Shekhar reveals about his misdeeds but the fallacious Shekhar gets hold of the situation. Inspector Pange (Mohnish Behl) investigates the matter and finds that this forgery is planned by the son of the best friend of Nisha's father. Baldev Chopra (Kiran Kumar)'s son Vicky (Raj Zutshi), and his secretary Rao (Anant Mahadevan) do this to rob Nisha's wealth. In the climax, the dust is settled and culprit meets his destiny.

The concept of scripting is stale and moves at a lethargic pace. The film's comical quotient is not healthy enough to lift film's prospects at the box-office. There are mild comical acts that may give light moments but otherwise it's a predictable melodrama. Govinda looks old, weary and contemporary and shows signs of aging. He entertains with his witty one-liners but even they are old-fashioned and contemporary in today's world. Raveena Tandon gives some entertaining moments in the first half but has brief appearance in the second half. Her styling and costume designing is old-fashioned and fails to metaphor with today's changing glamour. Mahima Chaudhry dons her 'Pardes' attire of chirpy village belle and impresses with comical and spunky one-liners. Despite this she has limited footage and impresses in the number "Sayonee" (dream sequence with Govinda). The declining career graph and her unnoticed appearances will hardly add anything to her future films. Satish Shah's comical presence adds humor to the situation. The film's music is avoidable; fights are ordinary with routine choreography. 'Sandwich' will have minimal takers at the multiplexes. Even in the interiors it will have restricted audiences. In nutshell, 'Sandwich' is too stale to digest.