A man who scoffs at religious practices, approaches God in a temple when he faces a life-shattering truth and begs him to 'reduce his punishment' for not following what the godmen preach. He tries to learn all the practices Hindus and Muslims follow but ends being the target of hardliners from both the religions and ends up paying a heavy price.

The best thing about 'Dharam Sankat' is its story. The plot attempts to show an uncomfortable truth that perhaps each of us has experienced at some point in life, but are largely reluctant to make a conversation point. Ironically, this is a subject that is in dire need of being discussed, debated and analysed, given the current political scenario of the country.

'Dharam Sankat Mein' says it all - here's a movie that reflects a dilemma. Dharampal Trivedi (Paresh) is Ahmedabad's leading caterer, a happy Hindu with a dislike of Muslims, extending to his quarrelsome neighbour Mehmood Nazeem Ali Shah Khan Bahadur (Annu). Dharampal's son Amit wants to marry Shraddha, fervent follower of motorcycle-riding Neelananda Baba (Naseeruddin).

The quirky fillers that come every now and then to save you from the otherwise predictable plot. Dharampal's learning lessons to become a Muslim are the only portions that will make you laugh and not ironically!

First things first. Of late, there has been a new genre in Bollywood which has taken birth. It's called as 'practically religious' genre, under which the myths are broken and superstitions are shattered. Leading the pack are two films, viz., OMG: OH MY GOD! and PK. This week's release DHARAM SANKAT MEIN (which is a self confessed remake of the 2010's British comedy film THE INFIDEL) treads more or less on the similar genre, if not the same.

The plight of a man forced by circumstances to owe allegiance to two religious faiths could have been wonderful grist to a sly social satire. Unfortunately, the unique premise is wholly wasted here: all it yields is a tepid film that is neither particularly insightful nor consistently funny. The crisis at the heart of the plot of Dharam Sankat Mein extends well beyond the conflict that the protagonist confronts. It quickly engulfs the film as a whole as it beats about the bush and barely gets its act together.

A film that dares to highlight subjects no one wants to touch these days, given the kind of widespread paranoia there is about religion and the social compact some of its dodgy practitioners force upon believers, needs an automatic pat on the back. 'Dharam Sankat Mein' opens with promise, bringing up concepts that need to be spoken about, but you soon realize that the film is not as radical as it could have been, which should have been clear with its choice of title.

Dharam Sankat Mein is a nice surprise at the onset. Paresh Rawal's Gujju character Dharam saunters along with his family to a session with a famous spiritual guru, Neel Anand Baba. He's not entirely convinced of the Baba's chamatkaar. Everything associated with the Baba is directly a throwback to his name - the attire is blue, the stage is blue, the hats that the devotees wear are also blue.