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The mere presence of Bollywood pin-ups Akshay Kumar and John Abraham is usually enough to send Hindi film fans (particularly female ones) running to the cinema. So when comedy guru Priyadarshan casts the pair together for the first time, you'd think you'd be in for a spicy treat. Sadly Garam Masala is more of a mild korma than hot vindaloo when it comes to rolling out the laughs, in this poor revamp of Boeing Boeing, the 1966 Hollywood comedy which originally starred Jack Lemon and Jerry Lewis.

Once best friend and now rivals, photographers Mac (Kumar) and Sam (Abraham) are anything but friendly when it comes to work and women. So when Mac finds himself in possession of an empty flat and access to three gorgeous airhostesses, Priti (Daisy), Sweety (Neetu) and Puja (Nargis), Sam considers it his duty to ruin his fun. But that's not nearly enough chaos for Priyadarshan, who also has Mac juggling flight schedules, his barmy cook Mambo (Paresh Rawal) and suspicious fiancé Anjali (Rimmi Sen). Phew! With all these wacky goings on it's an absolute mystery how the film still manages to remain unfunny.

"A MISH-MASH OF BUFFOONERY"

Overloaded with lame gags and clumsy slapstick, Garam Masala has about as much comedy value as a cold in-flight meal. Despite a potentially humorous storyline and accomplished comic actors like Kumar and Rawal on board, Priyadarshan's screenplay is a mish-mash of buffoonery, bad dialogue and B grade actresses posing as trolley dolleys. But what is most shocking is the lack of chemistry in Kumar and Abraham's double-act, a gamble that doesn't pay off for the director or the audience. If you respect your stomach, give Garam Masala a miss.

In Hindi with English subtitles.