Thoda Pyaar Thoda Magic

Ranvir Talwar ( Saif Ali Khan ) is a self-made man who grew up as an orphan. He has got everything – a flourishing business empire, a sensuous bimbo in tow ( Amisha Patel ), a swanky bungalow and, not to forget, a constant frown on his face. But he’s got no time.

Ranvir’s life changes after a car accident in which a couple dies because of his mistake. The court, instead of kicking him off to prison, gives an unusual verdict. Ranvir has to be the guardian of the four orphans of the dead couple and take care of them until the youngest of them becomes an adult.

But the kids hate Ranvir. And Ranvir feels no different towards them. Put up in the house of their parents’ killer, the kids plot revenge.

It would take nothing less than a divine intervention to foster peace and love between Ranvir and the vengeful tots. The good God himself takes the trouble of summoning one of his favourite fairies, Geeta ( Rani Mukherjee ), to go to the world of humans and do His work.

And down she comes, cycling on a rainbow (like some lost sister of Lance Armstrong) and straight into the life of Ranvir and his four cute ill-wishers. What happens thereafter better be seen than written about.

The most commendable thing about ‘Thoda Pyaar Thoda Magic’ is that it makes the most ludicrous of scenes engaging and fun to watch. Be it the fairy (as the nanny of the kids) turning the boring National Museum into a magical, living theatre of history, or the four naughty kids ruining the poolside party of Ranvir’s skimpily clad squeeze (Amisha) – you relish it all with the buoyancy of an adolescent yourself.

Besides humour, the film is also high on melodrama. I know it has almost become a dreadful word – thanks to many a weepy Bollywood movies – but the tear-jerking scenes in TPTM don’t pinch you like other run-of-the-mill sob tales. You bear them, at times with suppressed embarrassment of being seen moist-eyed by the fellow sitting next to you in theatre.

Saif Ali Khan does superb as the frowning, scowling, busy-as-a-bee businessman who gradually transforms into a loving, caring, doting guardian. Rani Mukherjee is pretty good as the blabbermouth fairy who performs magical feats as if she was doing something trivial, like playing carrom. And it is a great relief to see her play a character that doesn’t weep.

Amisha Patel is convincing as the minimally clad, dumb bimbo with a superficial accent. The kids are all right. The sardar kid (Iqbal) wins you over with his humour.

Kunal Kohli’s direction has many rough edges. For instance, his style of shot composition needs a great deal of improvement. The film’s music is also ho-hum.

Apart from this, ‘Thoda Pyaar Thoda Magic’ is pretty enjoyable. It has many engaging moments. My favourite is the one in which Iqbal tells Ranvir that he doesn’t want to be a Sikh. Another favourite of mine comes at the end. I’m not sure if the director intended it. But on a street in Hollywood, the camera captures two delightful words written on a wall. The words are: Buck Fush. Written on an American street, it doesn’t take much imagination to figure out what they mean.

‘Thoda Pyaar Thoda Magic’ does not belong to any one actor. Speaking in cricket parlance, it’s a team effort.