A sequel to the 2007 smash hit Welcome, Anees Bazmee's 'Welcome Back' is a joyride, that delivers some truly laugh-out-loud moments. It doesn't make sense nor is it particularly sharp, but overall, the flow of laughs are on the higher side. I enjoyed myself!

'Welcome Back' Synopsis: Uday Shetty and Majnu Bhai have left the underworld, they are now big businessmen & have also managed to fall in love. But, one day, they realize they have another sister, who later falls in love with a thug. Chaos Follows...

'Welcome Back' has a fairly catchy plot, that certainly stretches itself a bit too much. However, the gags & the consistently funny one-liners will leave you splits. The Bromance between Uday & Manju (played by Nana Patekar & Anil Kapoor, both in top-form) is the highpoint of the enterprise. Not only do they get the best of roles, but also the best of dialogue & sequences. I'd like to single out that one sequence in the second-hour, which takes place in a graveyard, its simply hilarious!

But, the climax is such a letdown. Agreed, we aren't even looking for logic remotely till we reach this point, but the culmination is a mess. Its not funny & also too long. Also, the second-hour, in totality, isn't as much fun as the first-hour, thats because the sub-plot involving Wanted Bhai (played by Naseeruddin Shah),doesn't really work!

Bazmee's Screenplay is fun. His Writing surrenders to non-sense, but most of the bits, work. A Special Mention for Raj Shandaliya's hilarious dialogue, that tickle your funny-bone almost throughout. Kabir Lal's Cinematography is lavish, capturing the exotic locales of Dubai, most accurately. Editing is good, but could've been sharper. Music by Various Artists is energetic. Action-Sequences are over-the-top.

Performance-Wise: Nana Patekar & Anil Kapoor are the life & soul of 'Welcome Back'. The legendary actors share an infectious chemistry on-screen & deliver the highest amount of laughs all through the film. Supporting them is Paresh Rawal, who despite limited screen-time, is simply fantastic as Dr. Ghunghroo. John Abraham is okay, although he makes a sincere effort to portray the part. Shruti Hassan is motionless. Dimple Kapadia is first-rate. Ankita Shrivastava is passable. Naseeruddin Shah & Shiny Ahuja are wasted. Rajpal Yadav, Adi Irani & others lend great support.

On the whole, 'Welcome Back' is an entertainer, that is even better than its prequel. Go, have a good laugh!

If Welcome (2007) was like spreading lots of peanut butter on a brown bread slice using a butter spreader, its sequel is like sprinkling white bread crumbs on a bowl of stale peanuts that belongs in a dustbin. The latter does not even make sense.

The Shetty brothers (Patekar & Kapoor) have left the underworld and are now in the real estate business. Their sister's in-laws Ghungroo (Rawal) and his wife are leading a peaceful life. But out of nowhere, both the parties find that they have a sister (Hasan) and an illegitimate son (Abraham),respectively, to euphemistically dispose of. As bizarre as it may sound, this sister and this son meet and fall in love and engage in tonsil hockey all in a matter of hours. But since the Shetty brothers have shed their criminal threads, they do not want Ghungroo's wife's illegitimate son to marry their Donald Duck of a sister because he is a local Mumbai don. As you see, the tables have turned and all that we have on the table are stale peanuts.

There seems to be a competition among the actors to come up with the worst performance. I was excited to see disgraced actor Shiny Ahuja's name pop up on the beginning credits, but unfortunately he wins the competition, followed by beasty Abraham (god damn Baazigar over here) as the runner up. The remaining take home consolation prizes, with the exception of Patekar, who is the only reason the film does not totally slip into nothingness.

Numerous songs stuffed inside the poor screenplay that play in tandem produces the right amount of boredom in its audience who by the end of the 150-minute film are sure to consult their therapists. The film gasps for a story, which looks repetitive if you have enjoyed the prequel, and the small amount of humor that it does have is mindless slapstick that induce nothing more than a titter. As a result, the screenplay tries to entertain itself by allowing its characters to play antakshari in a graveyard with two fake bodies doing rounds around them.

If you're still inclined to spend money on the film, all you have to do is visualize and consider this sequence: the illegitimate son hops from one camel's hump to another to another and so on to save an underworld don from a sandstorm that's breezing in. Poor camels.

BOTTOM LINE: Anees Bazmee's Welcome Back is sure a mindless comedy with frequent doses of action and songs that may appeal to some, but the real question is, is this a sign of Bollywood's tread into darkness?

GRADE: F.

Can be watched with a typical Indian family? YES

WELCOME BACK REVIEW- When Welcome released i was 17 years old and that time i never used to watch movies in theater. But watched it on TV and felt very very bad that why i did not watch it in theater. Felt like i missed the gem of comedy cinema. Seen it almost 50+times and i am big fan of Welcome movie. Since then i am waiting for it sequel like anything but when watched 1st trailer of Welcome Back i didn't find it impressive then 2nd trailer came and it was better than 1st trailer. But movie generated enough buzz for me because of those 2 trailers but i wasn't expecting a gem of comedy like its prequel. My expectations were neither low nor high. And after watching it today in theater,i say it was a good movie really. Obviously, you cant expect better movie than Welcome if you are sensible comedy lover so this one has comedy but not sensible at all. Even i thought this one will be a crap movie but movie proved me wrong. First half entertains you lot with punches and some crispy dialogues by setting plot of the movie. Story is exactly opposite to its prequel's story i don't wanna expose it now cause it will kill all fun of watching it for movie lovers. But second half drags its not as good as first half. It has no sense at all, too many childish and vfx scenes are there which looks really crap. And movie ends at unsatisfying note which really hurts audience. Now lets move on to actors, the first name comes in mind is Nana Patekar. The leader of this movie army, has a best role in the movie. Shines like a Prime Star, steals the show on his dialogue delivery and accent. Then second star is Anil Kapoor who had second best role. These two are enough to entertain you but you get extra bonus here in the form of Paresh Rawal. Another fine performance by fine actor. John's accent was too loud and too tapori. Sometimes it feels irritating, not appreciable at all. Shruti Hasan looks good but her dialogues and accent remains same as she does in every movie. Nasiruddin Shah did whatever director told him but i didn't find it impressive. Other supporting star cast were good as it was in Welcome. Music is a big disappointment here. Its prequel had chart buster music but Welcome Back doesn't even got a single hit song. Really music composer definitely deserves some bad words from everybody. Screenplay was smartly written but not completely it has some minuses at some scenes it was too predictable. Production is high scale shot the film on gorgeous locations. Director Anees Bazmi tried to give his best but failed to make a successful gem like Welcome. Still he gave some mind blowing scenes and dialogues to be remembered for long time. Overall a good family entertainer for all ages and all kind of audiences. Classes wont like film that much as masses would but both will find it A Paisa Vasool Entertainer. Go and watch Welcome Back enjoy your time but don't expect much and do not compare it with Welcome. 6 * stars by me.