Going by the intriguing title and the presence of Krishna Bhagwan, one expected John Appa Rao 40+ to be fun. The film has some humorous lines, no doubt, and starts off as a comedy but post-interval, it veers off into something else totally. Well, that's the kahani mein twist.

Appa Rao (Krishna Bhagwan) has a design studio. He is a good samaritan who misses the marriage bus as he has to marry off his sisters. He is interested in getting married but is unable to find the right person till Pravalika (Simran [Images]) comes into his life. He is smitten by her and she entices him to come to Britain to help her start a design studio there. Our gullible hero is ready, but does not realise he is about to be trapped.

Till that time, the humorous one-liners infused in the dialogue keep the flow going. One must warn about the sexual innuendo which can be a deterrent for family viewing.

Once the second half begins, the film shifts into a different genre and it is here that one feels the director's confusion -- whether to retain the comedy or make the film more like a thriller. It looks as though the director wanted to hold the cake and eat it to. The tedium sets in mid-way and the movie drags on till the expected end.

Director Venkat Kuchipudi tries to induct contemporary elements like terrorist attacks to make the canvas wider, and seems to get into a sermonising mode towards the end.

In fact, even the first half itself could have been made with more finesse -- especially the attempts at matchmaking, which were rather crude. As is mandatory, Venkat also has the customary item numbers to appeal to the front benchers.

Okay, Appa Rao loves bananas but after a point the banana scenes become disgusting and irritating. Appa's fetish for the fruit makes him give a speech on bananas replete with statistics at the police station! How did the director do so much research on the fruit?

Krishna Bhagwan is suitable for the first part of the film; he shows his awkwardness as a bachelor on the wrong side of 40, but in the second half, he is not fit enough to carry the role. It looks rather strange seeing him in song sequences with Simran! As for her, looking glamorous even after marriage and motherhood, she carries the role with �lan.

The director has taken a lot of effort in shooting the songs in Thailand. If only he had given the same kind of focus on the story.

Simran makes a real comeback with this film and proves herself. Alas, her shining alone is not enough.

Rediff Rating: