For anyone like me, who grew up in the 90"s of Bollywood, watching Govinda in a David Dhawan flick was the perfect cure to stress from an overdose of homework. And then, he went missing only to return with a Priyadarshan creation recently -- Bhaagam Bhaag -- and hardly feature in it. So it came as no surprise when Partner was out that yours truly wasn"t exactly queuing up to watch it.

Then again, mine is a family with a cousin who survives a heart-attack every time Salman Khan appears on the big-screen -- the kinds who grabs anything in sight and clutched at it with intense excitement when he breaks into a smile -- and there was no escaping her wrath. We went for it anyway, first day last show, and hey -- I wasn"t entirely disappointed -- all thanks to Govinda, who is by far the best thing about this popcorn flick.

The plot-opens with "Love Guru", a guy who grew up as the only brother amongst many sisters, hence the ability -- and this ought to be a supernatural ability -- to understand women. He helps love-sick patients with advice, he gets people together, has his own talk-show, the works. Simply put, Prem (why do I even bother mentioning this, but hey -- played by Salman Khan) is a celebrity Raj Aryan crossed over with Cupid in flesh and bone.

Enter Bhaskar (Govinda), the latest chap to seek his help. Or, as Prem teases with profanity -- Bloody Bhaskar. Because the latter is silly, is absurdly "simple". The financial advisor who"s fallen for his boss -- Priya (a gorgeous -- I repeat -- gorgeous Katrina Kaif). While Bhaskar makes just 30-grand a month, Priya gets chauffeured to work in a limo, gets escorted by one black and one white guy, wearing an outfit that might just eat out half of her financial advisor"s pay-check. And it doesn"t help that Priya has a bod-to-die-for, while Bhaskar"s paunch is something that any average treadmill beckons.

And that is Love Guru"s big challenge. While he isn"t exactly impressed with the clumsy Bhaskar who nearly gets him killed by a rocket-launcher (a crap scene where the special effects were anything but special), Prem attempts his mammoth task by training Bhaskar, arming him with all the tricks of the trade -- even a stylish dance. Of course, Bhaskar reverts to his unique ways, and in those comedy of errors, there are enough laughs here to give the popcorn a rest and enjoy some quality slapstick comedy, coming from David Dhawan, that we can rely on.

When Prem isn"t helping Bhaskar out, he romances Naina (Lara Dutta) -- a single mother and a journalist with a tabloid who gets into trouble with Chota Don (Rajpal Yadav), only to be saved by the hunk. Prem"s challenges just increased, because to win Naina, he has to strike it well with the son, Rohan (a disarmingly confident Master Haji Ali).

From the synopsis, it may seem that Love Guru is the heart of the film, binding everyone together, and Sallu does a neat job with good timing and excellent ex-pressions. He shifts gear effortlessly, switching from the sensible mentor with common-sense to the ridiculous, silly Prem that woos Naina. But the shirtless wonder can’t help the self-praise which he deserves more often than not anyway, although his one-liners are far from convincing, especially the "only thing I can"t stand is a one night stand". Yeah, right.

Lara Dutta is a treat to watch -- this is one extremely beautiful woman who can deliver in such short roles -- and with the bandana-denim setup, she fits in the tabloid reporter"s shoes quite easily. Katrina is hot -- she"s classy, she"s elegant, and while her outfits aren"t exactly post-it notes, they only highlight her killer body. Perfection when it comes to looks. Pity we can"t say the same for her acting skills, which are quite non-existent, although Partner can be held responsible because all she needs to do is look good, flash her eyes, and find Bhaskar"s histrionics "cute", which she does satisfactorily.

But there are some excellent performances too. Yes, Rajpal Yadav comes to mind -- his Chota Don is absolutely stupid yet riotous -- side-splitting at times, as he amazingly correlates cricket with goondagiri. Master Haji Ali only gets better after his warm performance in Fanaa -- this kid as great potential because he"s expressive, he"s astonishingly confident, and there are scenes even with Sallu when you can"t take your eyes off him.

And yes, this is Govinda"s comeback -- if any -- for me. He does it all -- dance like crazy, a gay-act evoking laughter at will, and his one-liners hit you hard -- they tear your stomach apart with -- and his stupid simplicity is sprinkled with so much honesty that you can"t help hoping for his victory, although -- by then -- you ought to have left your brains at home. And with Sajid Wajid"s foot-tapping yet forgettable soundtrack, Govinda gets to showcase his delightful fun-evoking dancing skills that we missed so much.

But every movie is somehow always flawed, as is Partner. For one, there are scenes that neither bind you to your seat, nor have any role to play in the flick. Fillers, and they threaten to drag the movie in bits towards the second half. And David Dhawan"s reputation as a master-director of comedy took a serious hit when he brought an end to Rajpal Yadav"s Chota Don -- and that too, so abruptly. But not as much of a hit as the "over-inspiration". Yes, Dhawan admits to having been inspired by Hitch (which is fine, incidentally, everyone loves inspiration) but pray tell me, what kind of brainwave triggers you, Mr. Dhawan, to have been aroused by Hitch so much that you end up ripping scenes off the original?

And that makes it impossible not to draw comparisons, which by the way are quite a few. While Will Smith and Sallu might have a few biceps in common, Hitch packed memorable cinema in less than two hours. Partner, on the other hand, is the hit-and-run flick that tickles your funny bone (at times to the extent that it cracks). Yes, we were funnier, but we could have just stayed away from lifting a few scenes off the original, couldn"t we?

Yet, with all its flaws, the ridiculous stupidity, the whacky absurditity and the total chaos -- Partner does something that few movies have done in 2007 -- entertain. And that"s the carrot to devour this flick. Brains at home, please, and take a Partner along, because yes -- you"ll enjoy this one.

*****