Maa Chunki Devi Productions’ Aakhir Palaayan Kab Tak…? (UA) is the story of communal disharmony. It is about Hindus not being allowed to live in peace in predominantly Muslim-populated localities. Sunil (Rajesh Sharma) lives with his wife, son and daughter in a predominantly Muslim locality. The Muslims in the locality trouble Sunil’s family members no end. Therefore, son Rohit (Gaurav Sharma) and daughter Tanya (Sohani Kumari) are fed up of living in the locality and keep pestering their father to shift elsewhere. But Sunil is emotionally attached to the ancestral home and continues to live there with the family. Sunil has a small shop in the same locality.
The evil and communal-minded Badruddin (Dheerendra Dwivedi) wins the elections and makes life hell for Sunil and his family. He and his men torture the family so much that Sunil is forced to move to another place, leaving his house and shop for being usurped by Badruddin who had made sure that nobody bought the house and the shop. Why, a plot of land, owned by Sunil, was also usurped by Badruddin. The police pleads helplessness. Not just that, Badruddin also kills Rohit and beheads him. Then comes along a principled police officer, Suraj (Bhushan Pattiyal), who takes it upon himself to solve the mystery of the beheaded body. How he brings Badruddin to book forms the crux of the story.
Mukul Vikram has written a story which boasts of no novelty whatsoever. To drive home the point of the atrocities perpetrated by people of one community over people of another community, the writer has resorted to every trick in the book, making the drama ever so predictable. His screenplay is full of clichés. The drama, therefore, is absolutely boring and unimpactful. The emotional quotient is missing. It wouldn’t be wrong to say that because of the lack of emotions, the viewers can neither sympathise with Sunil and his family nor appreciate the efforts of police inspector Suraj. There are no high points in the screenplay as things move in a flat manner. Romance is missing. Comedy is conspicuous by its absence. Mukul Vikram’s dialogues are dull.
Rajesh Sharma does a fair job as Sunil. Bhushan Pattiyal makes an ordinary debut as police officer Suraj. Gaurav Sharma is quite nice in the role of Rohit. Chittaranjan Giri is alright as Mukesh. Dheerendra Dwivedi makes his presence felt as Badruddin. Sohani Kumari is alright as Tanya. Saurabh Agnihotri is okay as Akram. Brijesh Karanwal lends decent support as police officer Rajesh. Avinash Kumar makes his presence felt as Wasim. Jahnavi Vyas is alright in an inconsequential role as Noor. Arun Thakur provides fair support as the pandit. Dr. V.K. Dobhal is ordinary as the maulvi. Mahendra Shrivas (as Raza), Ravi Dutt (as Taufique), Urmila (as Vandana), Govind Joshi (as Junaid), Rajesh Gaugain (as Kausar), Pradeep Kumar Sharma (as the doctor), Mukesh Sharma (as the lawyer), Manish Yadav (as the Akbar Property man), Sushil Yadav (as the old neighbour), Tilak Raj Singh (as Mulla shopkeeper), Sardar Khan (as Qasim), Santosh Babu (as the police constable), and the others are just about passable.
Mukul Vikram’s direction is too ordinary to create an impact on the audience. J.D. Singh’s music and lyrics are so-so while his background music is routine. M. Ravichandran Thevar’s camerawork is average. Nagar Pathaniya’s action and stunt scenes afford very little thrill. Gurpreet Grewal’s editing leaves a lot to be desired.
On the whole, Aakhir Palaayan Kab Tak…? is a disastrous fare.
Released on 16-2-’24 at Glamour (daily 1 show) and other cinemas of Bombay by Cinepolis India thru Rupam Entertainment. Publicity & opening: weak. …….Also released all over. Opening was dull everywhere.