The story of My Friend Pinto revolves around the one night experiences of an innocent boy in Mumbai
Twenty-something Michael Pinto (Prateik) has grown up in a small Goan village, believing everyone in the world to be simple, kind and honest, just like him.
His world revolves around a doting mother, a passion for music and the memories of a childhood friend, Sameer (Arjun Mathur), who left Goa for Mumbai many years ago and hasn’t replied to his frequent letters ever since.
Pinto’s talent for music is only matched by his knack for finding trouble in the unlikeliest of places often resulting in the most outlandish and hilarious situations. When Pinto’s idyllic world is shattered by the sudden demise of his mother he decides to head to Mumbai in search of the only friend he knows.
In Mumbai, the bumbling village idiot stands out like a sore thumb in the big city. And yet his untamed charm melts the hearts of most city folk.
Will Pinto find Sameer or will trouble find him first? Will Pinto and his crazy antics survive the big bad city or more importantly, will Mumbai survive a phenomenon called Pinto?
The simpleton almost instantaneously doesn’t fit in this mega city. He stumbles around all over the city and into the lives of gangsters, street urchins, gamblers and fighting lovers, affecting everyone with his innocence and smile.
The film My Friend Pinto does have its highlights.
There is a moment when Pinto meets the Don (Makrand Deshpande) and shares stories of his mother’s lessons, and the bad man breaks into a melodramatic fit. Finely performed.
So is the creative depiction of the odd ball romance between Prateik and Kalki Koechlin.
However, Pratiek miserably fails to generate the Chaplin kind of impact in his weak portrayal of the Tramp. There are over the top performances from rest of the cast.
There is virtually no plot so nothing is expected out of the screenplay writer. The director tries hard to tickle your funny bone. But the story falls flat.
My Friend Pinto is marketed as a comedy, but fails in its endeavor. Remember the Saeed Mirza’s 1980 classic comedy Albert Pinto Ko Gussa Kyon Aata Hai – My friend Pinto should entertain that particular segment of audience who appreciate films of this genre.
Cast of My Friend Pinto:
Michael Pinto – Prateik Babbar
Maggie – Kalki Koechlin
Sameer – Arjun Mathur
Sameer’s Wife – Shruti Seth
Don – Makrand Deshpande
Reshma Shergill – Divya Dutta
Asif – Shakeel Khan
Manisha Koirala
Naseeruddin Shah
Ajay – Amin Hajee
Vijay – Karim Hajee
Raj Zutshi
Credits & Crew of My Friend Pinto:
Banner – UTV Motion Pictures, SLB Films
Producers – Sanjay Leela Bhansali, Ronnie Screwvala
Co-Producer – Aditya Singh
Director – Raghav Dar
Story / Writer – Raghav Dar
Screenplay – Raghav Dar
Cinematography – Gargey Trivedi
Lyricist – Amitabh Bhattacharya, Deepa Seshadri
Music Director – Ajay Gogavale, Atul Gogavale, Shamir Tandon, Kavita Seth
Background Music – Hitesh Sonik
Action – Sham Kaushal
Editors – Shan Mohammed, Dipika Kalra
Sound – Stephen Gomes
Casting by Rahul Shanklya
Production Design – Aparna Raina
My Friend Pinto – movie review