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'Malamaal Weekly' funny but not too stylish
By Subhash K. Jha, Indo-Asian News Service

Film: "Malamaal Weekly"; Cast: Paresh Rawal, Om Puri, Riteish Deshmukh, Reema Sen; Director: Priyadarshan; Rating: **

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Once you get over the initial disappointment of realising that this film is actually adapted from a celebrated Irish film, "Waking Ned Devine", you actually get into the giggly groove of the loud and limpid look at the life of a bunch of villagers affected by a lottery ticket.

Just the sheer pleasure of watching two of the most accomplished actors jamming in a jokey jamboree is enough to keep us watching Priyadarshan's crisply cut comedy of arrears.

The comic chaos is all about a lottery ticket and its repercussions on a group of villagers who seem to be constantly revved up with a rustic adrenaline. Like the director's "Hulchul", the film's rhythms of narration are dependant on the chemistry among the gaggle of loud characters. They never cease to assert their vocal chords over a mirthful marathon. 

You can't miss the director's touch in the way he creates a pandemonium within the plot. There are a large number of characters moving in and out of Sameer Arya's camera range. Not all of them are funny or even bearable.

But you can't miss the two protagonist's frictional brotherhood. Paresh and Om are in fine farcical form. In their aggressive togetherness, they echo Ashok Kumar and Pran in the 1970s' comedy "Victoria No. 203".

The sheer pleasure of watching the two actors keeps you gazing at the rogues' gallery. Not as urbane or as stylish as Priyadarshan's last comedy "Garam Masala", this one has more heart and warmth.