Here's a push into the Bush (of the George variety) that makes us wriggle giggle and sometimes laugh out loud. There's something to be said about the creative liberty that's provided to the average Indian filmmaker today. He can be sassy and savvy, and downright rude if he wants. His characters can speak in a mix of Hindi and English, can use the 'f' word and address themselves to prickly subjects like lesbianism, homosexuality, gender discrimination and political asininity without the fear of a backlash.
The President Is Coming addresses all of the above, and then some more. It's a tongue-in-cheek often sharp sometimes caustic and almost always irreverent look at the urban youth and their wannabe attitude to everything imported from lipsticks to George Bush.
The basic premise of six young Indians from across the country being put into a reality-television kind of situation on the eve of 'President' Bush's visit to India is interspersed with real-life footage of Bush and Manmohan Singh hobnobbing on public platforms.
It's an interesting mesh of recent history and urban hysteria, done with a great deal of chutzpah and chaalu dialogues. The most refreshing aspects of the narrative are the actors, many unknown and some known only too well.
Among the screen debutants Vivek Gomber as a cheesy flamboyant wheeler-dealer with a roving eye, flirts with a bravura performance and emerges trumps. Ajay Karlekar as a vernacular rebel and Ira Dubey as a tycoon's pampered daughter, Namit Das as an incoherent closet gay and Anand Tiwari as a sleazy stockbroker form an arresting ensemble in the chatty chirpy chamber piece. Shivani Tanksale as Shernaz Patel's assistant is also outstanding.
Among the known faces Shernaz Patel as the girdled bully brings the house down. But why on earth do they want to shake hands with Bush?
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