Bollywood has come out with yet another debutant director. This is Saurabh Kabra, and his directorial debut is 'EMI'. The title means " equal monthly instalment". You have rightly understood this economic term in today's context when every one of us is involved in one or the other way with EMI. You may have taken loan from a bank or some other institution for buying a home/ flat to live in or a white goods item, say, refrigerator, cooler/ airconditioner/ TV set/ plasma or any other item of your use including computer, printer, fax or laptop, to make your life worth living. Then, you should be paying EMI to clear your debt/ outstanding.
So, Saurabh picks up incidents from real life and depicts the pros and cons of availing loans. He makes four different stories run parallel, and also there is a 'Bhai' played by Sanjay Dutt, who helps creditors to recover their outstanding loans, and also sorts out their personal problems. 'EMI' is justly described as 'take loan, buy now, pay later'. Interestingly, Sanjay Dutt plays a loan recovery agent and Urmila Matondkar a super-sweet girl. The story revolves around persons who spend carefree. The story plot is very much relevant in today's context when the world is faced with a credit crunch, especially after the heydays of credit/loan spree all over the globe.
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As told above, Sattar (Sanjay Dutt), owner of Good Luck Recovery Agency, is the savior of all those caught in the debt trap. Sattar wants to rise in life, and therefore moves from Bhaigiri to business and then to politics. And he has a worthy instrument in hand in the form of Good Luck Recovery Agency. Sattar tells the debtors/ borrowers: Loan liya hai to chukana padega. (You have to pay back if you have borrowed). This is true.
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The story is woven around borrowers who turn defaulters. Ryan played by Arjun Rampal is a conman who has credit cards of all banks but refuses to pay them back. He tells lies to all, including his girlfriend Prerna played by Malaika Arora Khan, to his boss, and even to Sattar (recovery agent). Ryan convinces Prerna to dine with Sattar and Ryan gets his dream turn true in return. Prerna's life is very complicated as she is yet to obtain the assured money from the insurer even after her husband's death.
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She falls a prey to a local goonda who charges her money to help her get assured money from the insurance company. But she borrows money to pay the goonda fee. Thus, she is involved in EMIs too. Incidentally, there is a couple of Anil played by Aashish Choudhary and Shilpa played by Neha Uberoi. Anil takes a huge loan to buy, house, laptop etc., but finds himself unable to pay EMI.
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An attractive bank teller tells Anil to go down on his knees and say sorry on the busy street, he complies! Not surprisingly then, when the EMIs take a toll post-marriage; they hurry to the divorce court. Meanwhile, Kulbhushan Kharbanda (retired man) borrows from bank to help his son do an MBA from abroad. After all, rich girls are ready to marry an MBA. He also falls a prey to the loan trap and thus to paying EMIs. Hence, the movie will attract the audience as the matter relates with their life.
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Acting-wise, Sanjay Dutt alone takes the movie on his shoulders. Urmila is just okay; there isn't much scope for her. But Arjun Rampal is natural and Malaika looks shining! Aashish Chowdhary and Neha Uberoi don't gel well with their characters; maybe the storyline fails in regard to their characterization. Kulbhushan Kharbanda shinnes, too. However, the rest of the cast has no role to play. While the director Saurabh Kabra is completely justified in taking up this theme, the story lacks proper scripting. Though dialogues are excellent at places, Chirantan Bhatt's music is average.
Overall, the movie is relevant at present, but it fails in its scripting. Though the audience would like to watch it but might be disappointed after entering into the theater.
