MUMBAI: This film could have been a potent combination to seduce the young urban audience with - a peek into the life of a young radio jock with all the attendant urban angst of his faster than reality life, coupled with some seriously good foot tapping music.

Himesh Reshammiya was right when he said in a recent interview that the film had recovered its worth even before the release. Perhaps it has, and perhaps the makers should have left well enough alone and not bothered with the theatrical release of the film. Whatever goodwill and accolades Himesh collected after the audio release are likely to be drowned in the brickbats that may well come after its theatrical release today.

The hoardings all over Mumbai had made it amply clear - this was a Himesh showcase, and he intends carrying it on his own shoulders. There's no mention of the film in the hoardings, no hint at others who have played roles in the film, no credit to the film's director or writers, not even a nodding mention of the film's title. This was a revamped, whitewashed Himesh showcase - purged of his Karzzz avatar, and far removed from the Aap Ka Suroor days. This was supposed to be a relaunch pad for  a nice clean Himesh - with sober schoolboy haircut, and some nice music that was released nearly three months ago and had sunk well into public conscious.

One cannot accuse the singer actor of not trying. In Radio, HR tries his hand at playing your regular Mumbai boy, with a recent divorce under his belt, working at his job as a popular RJ while nursing a secret ambition of cutting his own album, in confused love with a half Parsi half Punjabi vivacious girl he meets one day. All this requires Himesh to express anguish, frustration, excitement, humour, anger and a range of emotions. That's asking quite a lot of him. Still, he tries. One can actually see the sweat beads forming on his neck in certain scenes that need him to deliver a dialogue that runs for the better part of five minutes, while his girlfriend looks lovingly at him, their fingers intertwined.

Unfortunately, neither Himesh nor his two female co stars look comfortable with their roles. Nor have the film's makers spent too much effort on crafting a coherent plot and storyline. Having a Mumbai backdrop with the actors flitting in and out of well done up homes is probably considered compensation enough for the lack of a good story. The actors compensate by being loud, often over the top. The music, which sounded so good when you bought the CD three months ago, is a bit lost in the melee. Radio had given an entire new perspective to Himesh's composing skills, you had thought when you listened to Piyaa Jaise Ladoo, and felt a certain warmth when he crooned Mann Ka Radio, a distinct departure from that unmistakable nasal twang. Here was melody, here were some unforced vocals, here was some meaningful wordplay that an urban audience could relate to. But when the songs play up on screen, in between the jerky screenplay, they are lost.

That brings us to the story. The makers have attempted to tell a non story (recently divorced man finds another girl, is confused till estranged wife gets back in his life to let him know that the new girl is the one for him) by breaking it up into something called 'chapters', slides which pop up on screen intermittently with chapter head gems like 'Mera Denial Mode' "Paranjabi Lassi' "Encounter aur kadhi'. The songs appear to force themselves into the story at places, and the story itself is a series of random scenes that appear glued together to make up a full movie. One can't really blame Himesh. He tries, at times a bit too hard, to look aggressive, sad and/ or funny. Unfortunately, the script does not prop him up. Breaking crockery in restaurants and at home seems to be the director's idea of inducting some fun in the proceedings. The film is also likely to give some seriously misdirected ideas to aspiring RJs, who might feel that radio jocks in Mumbai earn enough to live in well appointed apartments in high rises facing the Marine Drive, and drive more than decent cars, despite having to shell out enough alimony that keeps his choreographer ex wife in an equally fancy house. Life in a radio station is portrayed as a scheming series of events designed to manipulate RJs into mouthing lines they don't want to, all for the sake of the moolah via RJ mentions. Needless to mention, Krackjack biscuits, Kurkure, D'damas all get in film placements in Radio. Rajesh Khattar as the station head (?) almost comes across as the villain in cowboy hat who persuades HR to trap Shanaya into an RJ job  with some romantic promises. Paresh Rawal does his 'Ghanta Singh' type act (Jhandu Lal Tyagi he is called, if you please) at intervals, but it doesn't distract from the tedium of the movie. Perhaps they could have extended this talented actor's role and made the film a tad more entertaining.

Both Shehnaz Treasurywala and Sonal Sehgal could probably do without film careers. The small screen is good enough for them.

Himesh, you were good with the music of Radio. Did you have to act in it, too?

What do you think of Radio? Write back to us at radioandmusic@gmail.com with your comments.