Karthik Calling Karthik

Rating: 3/4 (A watchable gem of mystery, except for its length)

There is not a boring moment in Karthik Calling Karthik, a new movie starring the ever-interesting Farhan Akhtar. Karthik (Farhan Akhtar) is a shy guy who is taken advantage of by everyone. To make matters worse, Shonali (Deepika Padukone), the hot chick at his office does not even notice him. When Karthik gets pushed too far, he decides to end his life. But, he is saved by a mysterious caller on his new phone. The caller identifies himself as Karthik too and seems to know everything about his life. The caller peps up Karthik and helps him succeed at work and with Shonali. Just when things are hunky-dory, Karthik reveals his secret caller to Shonali. This angers the caller and he starts to wreak havoc on Karthik’s life. Who is this mysterious caller and how does Karthik get rid of him?

Karthik Calling Karthik creates an intriguing plot based on a teeny little trick. The clue is hidden right there in the movie title itself. Just how that happens is revealed towards the end. The movie is fast and fun while Karthik is bullied and he hits back with the help of his mysterious caller. But, everything gets glacially slow once the caller starts taking his revenge. This half of the movie could have easily been cut further in half. Farhan Akhtar is eminently watchable, with his expressive face and raspy voice. Deepika, not so much of acting, but just a pretty girl. The music is peppy, but forgettable, no track or melody you will recall after the movie. The production quality of the movie is neat, the visuals are all nicely composed. Karthik Calling Karthik is a watchable gem of mystery, except for its length.