OHH MY DOG is an endearing entertainer that scores with its adorable canine hero Movie Review: OHH MY DOG is an endearing and unusual entertainer

Star Cast: Mahi Rai, Pankaj Tripathi, Pavan Malhotra

Director: Amit Rai

Ohh My Dog Movie Review Synopsis:
OHH MY DOG is the story of two dogs and their devoted masters. In Dibrugarh, Assam, a dog named Momo is adopted by a young boy, Apu (Mahi Rai), and his parents (Geeta Agarwal and Prashant Kashyap). One day, Momo suddenly disappears from outside their house. Apu and his mother approach the local police station for help. However, the SHO, Mohd Yusuf Hazari (Vijay Mishra), refuses to take action. He informs them that Momo may have been abducted by a gang involved in smuggling dogs for their meat and advises them not to harbour much hope. However, Apu refuses to accept defeat and decides to track down Momo on his own. Meanwhile, in Patna, Bihar, the situation is reversed. Oscar’s master, Prince (Nikhil Kumar), an underage construction worker, is kidnapped. It is Oscar who raises an alarm over Prince’s disappearance, prompting the others at the construction site to take the matter seriously. They approach Prince’s teacher (Pankaj Tripathi) for help. Here, too, the police officer (Rajesh Kumar) is reluctant to assist them. What happens next forms the rest of the film.

Ohh My Dog Movie Story Review:
Amit Rai’s story is unconventional as the story centres around dogs. Amit Rai’s screenplay is gripping and peppered with thrilling as well as clapworthy moments. However, the writing gets stretched in some places. Amit Rai’s dialogues are conversational and, in some places, he has also cleverly infused some funny one-liners.

Amit Rai’s direction is praiseworthy. It is no cakewalk to helm a film in which a dog is one of the principal characters. In this regard, Amit deserves brownie points for getting the animal to perform convincingly and even execute action sequences. Moreover, Oscar’s actions are so adorable and heroic that children are sure to lap them up. Bollywood rarely makes films primarily for young audiences, and OHH MY DOG comes as a breath of fresh air in this space. Meanwhile, the parallel track involving the child in Assam is equally immersive. A particular sequence in which Apu traces his missing dog’s movements from a nullah to a riverbank stands out. The entry of the RTO officer (Pavan Malhotra) further adds to the madness.

On the flipside, at 150 minutes, the film is a little too long and could easily have been shorter by around 15 minutes. A few portions are needlessly stretched, while the writing becomes unconvincing in places. The behaviour of the SHO in Dibrugarh is difficult to digest. Apu uses illegal apps to track down the kidnappers in the presence of the police, and the officer should ideally have objected to it. Also, considering his ulterior motive, it seems unlikely that he would openly inform Apu’s mother about the gang involved in kidnapping dogs. The sequence featuring 250 dogs is visually appealing and is sure to wow viewers, but it also takes away from the film’s realism. Lastly, the music fails to make an impact.

Ohh My Dog Movie Review Performances:
The human actors put their best foot forward, but it is the dog Bruno, who plays Oscar, who takes the cake with his cuteness and bravery. Mahi Rai comes next. He puts up a confident performance and dominates the other actors. Pankaj Tripathi is adorable in what could be called a supporting role. Pavan Malhotra has a late entry and makes up for it with his arresting screen presence. Geeta Agarwal gets into the skin of her character. Vijay Mishra and Rajesh Kumar leave a huge mark. Nikhil Kumar is aptly cast. Sulakhyana Baruah (Krishna; Apu’s teacher) is a great find. Bulloo Kumar (Kidnapper) puts up a fine act.

Ohh My Dog movie music and other technical aspects:
Aman Pant’s music doesn’t entice. However, Mangesh Dhakde’s background score is much better and in sync with the film’s happenings.

Mate Herbai’s cinematography is terrific. Bihar and Assam have never been captured before in this manner in a Hindi film. Some shots are captured from the point of view of the dog and it adds to the tension. Ashwini Shrivastav’s production design is realistic while Isaac Hamon and Sunil Rodrigues’ action is entertaining. White Apple’s VFX is satisfactory. Suvir Nath’s editing could have been crisper.

Ohh My Dog Movie Review Conclusion:
On the whole, OHH MY DOG is an endearing and unusual entertainer that scores with its adorable canine hero, engaging performances and several thrilling, clapworthy moments. However, the low pre-release buzz and the arrival of strong competition next week could restrict its box-office prospects. It will therefore need positive word of mouth to draw audiences to cinemas and sustain at the ticket window.