MUMBAI :Sooraj Barjatya is known for making grand films where there are huge mansions, the sanskari hero, and a beautifully dressed heroine who at least has one or two songs where she can showcase her dancing skills. His last release was Prem Ratan Dhan Payo which starred Salman Khan and Sonam Kapoor in the lead roles; a typical Rajshri film with all the elements in it. But, with time, Barjatya has now tried to change his style of filmmaking and today his latest directorial Uunchai has hit the big screens.

Uunchai stars Amitabh Bachchan, Anupam Kher, Boman Irani, Neena Gupta and Sarika in the lead roles, and has Parineeti Chopra and Danny Denzongpa in an extended cameo. The movie revolves around four friends Amit (Big B), Om (Anupam Kher), Javed (Boman Irani), and Bhupen (Danny Denzongpa). Bhupen passes away and his only dream was to go to Everest Base Camp. Now, his three friends decide to fulfill his last wish, and take on a journey to the Everest Base Camp. Will they be successful in this journey? Well, this forms the rest of the story...

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The story of the film is written by Sunil Gandhi, and Abhishek Dixit has written the dialogues and screenplay. The film’s basic plotline is good and refreshing, but Dixit’s screenplay and Barjatya’s narration is a bit bumpy. The first half of the film is decent and has some emotional as well as funny scenes. But, the second half could have been better. The movie loses its momentum in a few scenes post the interval, but gets a smile on our faces in the climax.

Also, one of the negative elements of the film is its runtime of 169 minutes. There are a few scenes in the first half as well as in the second half that could have been trimmed or edited out.

But, what saves the movie, whenever it falters, is the cast. Amitabh Bachchan, Boman Irani, and Anupam Kher are the three pillars of the film. All of them are simply excellent and take the movie a notch higher. Neena Gupta and Sarika are just perfect in their respective roles. It’s good to see Danny Denzongpa on the big screen after a long time, and Parineeti Chopra is decent in her extended cameo.

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When it comes to the music, composer Amit Trivedi and lyricist Irshad Kamil have come up with some beautiful songs. It’s a treat to watch Amitabh Bachchan, Anupam Kher, Boman Irani, and  Danny Denzongpa dancing to the song Keti Ko.

Overall, Sooraj Barjatya has tried something new with Uunchai and he succeeds at some level. The movie is a decent watch with heartwarming moments in it. But be careful, it’s a long watch.

Ratings: 3/5