'Pop Kaun?' review: Earnest actors can't salvage epic torture fest
What's the story
There is a method to Farhad Samji's madness, the common denominator across all his projects.
The rules are simple: recycle WhatsApp jokes, put a slight spin on them, make fun of physical deformities, reduce women to showpieces, and have some giants of Indian cinema ramble their way through the nonsense.
Unsurprisingly, Pop Kaun? checks off these boxes and fits right into his filmography.
Plot
'Pop Kaun?' is about a man looking for his lineage
Surprised that there's even a plot in place? Me too!
But don't let that heighten your hopes.
The six-episode-long Pop Kaun? revolves around Sahil, the son of a hotshot politician (Johnny Lever) who is in love with Pihu (Nupur Sanon).
However, he realizes he is adopted, and Pihu's father (Saurabh Shukla) challenges him to trace his lineage if he wishes to marry his daughter.
Negative #1
Can meta instances aid screenplay gone to dogs?
From the get-go, you can discern that Pop Kaun? will be meta and will be built upon done-to-death jokes that are past their shelf life.
And, Samji doesn't disappoint in disappointing us on that front!
These meta references are occasionally funny, and so is the wordplay, but in this scattershot series, one has to wait for several minutes for a quality joke to arrive.
Negative #2
Comedy not unique or experimental, it's torturous
When Pop Kaun? is at its most earnest, it manages to evoke a few laughs sporadically, but the "jokes" are outright silly and juvenile.
While absurdity in comedy is not exactly a problem and actually does a lot of heavy lifting, it doesn't bode too well here because the silliness tragically overrides sanity.
Crass sexual innuendos have also found their way into the series.
Negative #3
Unfunny, repetitive 'jokes' fail to evoke any laughter
Not only does Samji unsuccessfully recycle jokes that were probably last funny in 2005, but there are also similarities between Lever's character and that played by Akshay Kumar in Housefull 3.
Both deal with ludicrous medical complications.
There were points while watching the series where I just sat holding my head, wondering how unfathomable preposterousness could be included and executed in the final edit.
Negative #4
Interesting premise that show doesn't work well with
While Disney+ Hotstar doesn't allow the viewer to play anything at 2X speed, you run the risk of missing absolutely nothing if you forward a LOT of sequences.
Granted, nothing here is meant to be too serious, and Pop Kaun? doesn't aspire to be a scathing social drama, but with this plot, someone like Priyadarshan and the late Neeraj Vora would have worked wonders.
Negative #5
Multiple fine actors, monumental missed potential
The missed potential feels a little too personal when you see comedy veterans like Shukla, Lever, Satish Kaushik, and Rajpal Yadav flounder amidst the swamp that Pop Kaun? is.
It is not uncommon for great actors to rise above plodding plots, but when nothing works, what can the actors even do?
This vehicle was destined to crash—it had no fuel to begin with.
Personal
Jamie Lever deserves better than that!
Jamie Lever, who is a phenomenal talent, is always a treat to watch, but perhaps there's no worse disrespect to her talent than Pop Kaun? She has scenes with her father, and while they must evoke some sentiments, some laughter, or anything, they fall flat.
Negative #6
Show brought back 'Cirkus' memories
The series brings back the nightmarish memories of Cirkus.
The binding thread? Samji co-wrote the dialogues for the Rohit Shetty directorial, and they were the single most reason for the film's catastrophic run and the sheer mutilation of the audience's brains.
The slapstick comedy, here, too, is so headache-inducing that while I am not sure about any popcorn, I may need a Disprin.
Saving graces
Positives: What made me endure the show till the end?
Let's talk about the redemptive aspects of Pop Kaun?
The legendary actors—all of them—pour in their all, and I shudder to think how the quality of the series would have depleted even more were it not for them.
Samji has intelligently used some real-life incidents while portraying Chunky Panday's and Kaushik's characters, and while I won't reveal those, they certainly made me smile.
Personal
Title track grows on you
While there are multiple musical sets in the series, and most of them are skippable, the title track is well-written and well-composed. Samji is also credited as the lyricist, singer, and composer, and the way he has winked at Bollywood in the track is enjoyable.
Personal
An excellent Kunal Kemmu shines from start to finish
Kunal Kemmu once again proves that he cannot be ignored or overshadowed in any project that also stars several veterans of the industry. He has the maximum screen time here and works well despite the script's limitations. Watch out for his scenes with Shukla.
Verdict
Watch 'Pop Kaun?' at your own risk, please
My jaw dropped at a few points at the absurdity on display. Absurd can be enjoyable too (for example, Tees Maar Khan), but Pop Kaun? is far from that finesse.
It's funny in parts but isn't worth spending about 180 minutes on—especially if you're aware of Samji's previous work.
If you still dare to watch, bury your expectations beforehand.
Verdict: Pop Kaun? gets 1/5.