What’s Bad: The screenplay could have done with more plausibility. The film reminds too much of 3 Idiots but reaches nowhere near it.Puja Entertainment (India) Ltd.’s F.A.L.T.U. (UA) is about students who pass in their examinations but don’t get admission for further studies because of low percentage. Ritesh Virani (Jacky Bhagnani), Nanj (Angad Bedi) and Pooja (Pooja Gupta) are best buddies who just about manage to pass in school but no college is willing to admit them. Another close friend of theirs, Vishnu Vardan (Chandan Roy Sanyal), passed out with flying colours and, therefore, gets admission in the college of his choice.
Ritesh is the son of a scrap dealer (Darshan Jariwala) who has threatened his son with the prospect of looking after his scrap business if he doesn’t study hard. Pooja’s father (Mahesh Thakur) will get her married off if she doesn’t perform in college. As for Nanj’s father (Vijay Kashyap), he will probably disown him if he underperforms. Vishnu’s father is so strict that he won’t hear of his son pursuing extra-curricular activites as he only wants him to study and become a businessman like him. He disapproves of Vishnu’s friends whom he considers as failures.
With nowhere to go, the three friends think of starting a fake college – at least on paper – so that their parents are convinced that they are studying. They seek Vishnu’s help also. When the parents insist on visiting the college, Ritesh and group have no option but to approach Google Chand (Arshad Warsi) to help. Google Chand lets them use a building in his possession as a college for a day. The parents are satisfied that their children are in the right college – Fakirchand And Lakirchand Trust University (F.A.L.T.U.). Bajirao (Ritesh Deshmukh), who is a teacher aspiring to be a principal, is hired for the principal’s job for a day.
Things go out of control when hundreds of students like Ritesh, Pooja and Nanj descend on the college, having taken admission via the Internet, on the college website which, incidentally, has been created to lend that touch of authenticity. These students, humiliated at home for obtaining low marks, are unwilling to leave the college premises and, therefore, the college set up for just one day, is forced to continue. Vishnu, the intelligent boy of the lot, also stays back in the F.A.L.T.U. college, without the knowledge of his strict father. Students party all day long and have a lot of fun.
But one day, Ritesh Virani has a change of heart when his father tells him about scrap dealers like himself, who make useless items of furniture, electronics etc. valuable enough to be reused and sell them. Ritesh takes it upon himself to mould the ‘useless’ students of his college so that they can become self-sufficient and their parents can be proud of them. Is Ritesh able to fulfil his dream? Are the students one with him? Does the F.A.L.T.U. college get the recognition and respect of an educational institution? The latter part of the drama answers these questions.
Sachin Bajaj’s story is quite nice but upto a point. If it seems too Utopian, it is because the plausibility element is almost missing. The screenplay (by Tushar Hira and Mayur Puri), like the story, is good only upto a point. Things become too simplistic and serious after interval. Even in the first half, they are simplistic but because the thrust is on comedy then, one doesn’t mind it. However, when things take a slightly serious turn after interval, the simplistic nature of the drama begins to irritate a bit. Overall, the idea looks inspired by 3 Idiots which, of course, was a landmark film.
Where the story and screenplay writers ought to have written with more conviction is in the sequences and scenes where the students come up with their passions and dreams and when they pursue them in their F.A.L.T.U. college. Even the climax, in which they win the hearts of their parents and others, does not have the desired emotional appeal because they don’t do anything heroic to impress them. In fact, the film lacks in emotions, so necessary for a drama where parents don’t think much of their academically less inclined children. Another drawback of the drama is the complete absence of romance. Although there was ample scope for a complete love story between Ritesh and Pooja, there’s just one dialogue to establish that something may be brewing between them.
Nevertheless, the drama does have its positives, especially in the first half. The comedy evokes a lot of laughter and the dialogues aid a great deal in that. In fact, the dialogues are the best part of the script and it must be said that Vipul, Rishi, Akash and Sam have done a fantastic job of them. They are witty, funny and highly entertaining, more so before interval.
Jackky Bhagnani does a free job and his character and performance make him endearing. Pooja Gupta makes a fair debut. She looks okay and is quite confident for her maiden attempt. Angad Bedi is reasonably nice in his debut role. Chandan Roy Sanyal lives the role of Vishnu Vardan. He is absolutely superb and deserves distinction marks for a job excellently done. Arshad Warsi is lovable and evokes laughter at several places. Ritesh Deshmukh is also excellent. Akbar Khan is so-so as the strict father of Vishnu. Darshan Jariwala is very good, as always. Vijay Kashyap leaves a mark. Rameshwari, as his wife, lends fair support. Mahesh Thakur is okay. Boman Irani stands his own in a brief special appearance. Mithun Chakraborty adds star value and uplifts the climax dramatically. Himani Shivpuri and the rest lend the desired support.
Remo D’souza’s direction is promising. For a first film, he has handled the scenes with maturity. Sachin-Jigar’s music is very good. The Char baj gaye lekin party abhi baaki hai song is a hit. Altu jamaal tu, Bhoot and Lejaa lejaa are well-tuned numbers. Sameer’s lyrics, like the music, are catchy and youthful. Background score (Sachin-Jigar) is superbly appropriate. Remo D’souza’s choreography is first rate. The songs have been picturised to appeal to the youth. Picturisation of the Awaz do (climax) song is a visual treat. Vijay Arora’s camerawork is good. Sets (by Aparna Sud) are nice.
On the whole, F.A.L.T.U. has an entertaining first half and an average second half. With hit music as its trump card and coming as it does after a dull period of no big releases (in March), it will prove to be an earning proposition.
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